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TEIE SOUTHERN PLANTER,

it was stopped or closed at boitom, and GOOi-menced firing the tobacco, only salting up, or rather propping some slab plank around, to prevent the winds blowing the fire about. A daybreak fire was kindled under the tobacco, (a very large lot,) attended by an experienced hand. We had very weak fifes at first, thinking only to yellow and bring the tobacco to a proper condition to cure; but to my asionishment, by twelve o'clock that same day, the tobacco was drying up faster than I had ever seen before. I'here were only three cart loads of seasoneil wood at the barn, and by sunset the leaf of the tobacco was dry to the top of the barn, and but little over half the wood burned. Next morning I examined the tobacco and found it dried up, of the same color as when fire was put under it; the stems were not dry more than half way.— In consequence of its curing up so rapidly, it was rather of a greenish color. T removed ihat tobacco to anoiher barn, and filled the same barn immediaiel}', still leaving the bottom as at first, and co.i.menced firing more cauiiouslj' than before, but the effect was the same; the tobacco dried very rapidly, wiih as little wooij burned. I removed that to another barn, and filled the same barn ihe third time, and the result was the same. Now I began to think of the cause, and finally came to the conclusion that it was by veniilaiing the barn at botiom and having two doors boih kepi open, only when the wind required one or ihe oiher lo be closed. I never buru green wood under tobacco. There was an oM iighi barn, iweniy-four by twenty feet, filled vviih lobacco, and it had only one door, and il required six loads of wood and two days to cure the tobacco in it. I wish oihers lo try the plan and see what will be the result I have been making tobacco forty years, and have tried many ways 10 improve ihe article, and finally conclude that the best way to profit by making it, is lo make a good article and that only, and from the present coiidiiion of our lands ihat can only be done by selecting proper soil and making it rich, As to the process of curing tobacco, there is no rule by whicn the planier is to be governed ; he must vary according to circumstances, and experience is the best teacher. A great deal de pends on weather, the ripening, and ihe kind of soil, so that no certain rule can be laid down which can be followed; one thing ihough is certain; lo make good lobacco, the land must be rich anrl free. Sim cured tobacco is highly esieenied, but were we all to adopt that plan, the supply would be loo great for ihe demand. A word more to those who ofien fail in raisinir plants. Clean out your hen house once a fortnight, save the manure, carefully pick up all the hog manure round about iheir beds, &-c.; yo'i will soon sel enough to manure your plant beds. Save all your hog hair when you kill your pork; beat it fine, and sprinkle it over

your bed afier sowing, and the fly will rarely lonch the plants. Select moisl land for pianis, burn early, make rich, and you will haidly ever fail.

N. B.—At least one-ihird of ihe Virginia lo>-bacco is cut before it is propeily ripe. If tobacco be really ripe when cut it is easily cured rich, and of a good color. I have ofien let my tobacco stand a foruiighi afier my neighbors advised it 10 be cut. If lobacco is laige, eight lo ten planis is the proper number lo a slick; hang the slicks eight or len inches apart while curing. Let ihe lobacco yellow well before cured, and il will be a good ariicle. Your obedient servant,

Trby Hudson.

Brydcr^s Store, Va., June 15, 1&44.

COLMAN'S AGRICULTURAL TOUR.

Il will be remembered that we noticed about a year ago, that the Rev. Henry Colman, of Massachusetts, had underiaken the novel desij^n of making an agriculiural tour in Europe, intending 10 publish a journal of his observations, for the benefit of the agriculiui'al community both here and there. We are indebted to ihe kindness of a Norihein friend for a copy of the first number of this journal. We find thai the whole work will be comprised in ten nuuibers, of at least one humh'ed pages each, to be issued successively at intervals of two monihs. Terms.— Five dollars—two dollars to be paid on the delivery of the first number—the other three on the delivery of the fifth. We shall be very happy to lend our assistance lo any of our friends who desire to obtain this work, who will forward us the required sum for the purpose.— The number which we have received is gotten up in very beautiful style, ornamented with a splendid steel engraving of the "English Cart Horse."

The high expectations which we had formed from our own knowledge of Mr. Colman's abilities, have not been disappointed in this number. Being of an introductory character, it is more general in its nature, and contains less of the details of agriculture than we may hereafter expect. But his descriptions of the agriculiural community of England are intei'esting and graphic in the extreme. We think we cleaily perceive in this work evidences of the high independence and impartial fairness, which have always marked the moral character of Mr. Colman. He is not blind to the elegance and refinement of the aristocratic classes, but he is

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feeari s'ricken, as every American citizen, as distances are great, ihey occasionally pass the every friend of human nature, shouM be, at the niglH at ttie p ace of work, and thrn lodge in degi-aduuon and misery to which her political barns,oranywhereelseindiscrin,inaiel,y logeiber.

. u-.j.u 11, r 10 talk of morals in snch a case is idle. One

svsiem has subiected the common laborers ot ^ ^ i i .

■;,,_,; , , . I of the gang-masters, who has been an overseer

England. To show how much sup Tior is our seventeen years, gives it as his testimony, under much abused, and much misunderstood, system' oath, 'that seventy out of a hundred of the of slave-labor, we extract the following account of girls become prostitutes,'and the general account the nomiml freemen of this enlightened country:' given of the operations of the system shows an

I utter profligacy of mind in their general conver-

" There are two practices in regard to agri-' saiion and manners, when morals must follow

cultural labor, not imiversal, by any means, iDut of course. If ihey go in the morning and stay

prevailing in some pans of England and Scot-' only a little while, on account of ram, or oiher

land, which I may noiice. The first is called ! good cause, they are paid nnihing. I'he day

the ' Gang system.' In some places, owing to the size of farms being greatly extended, cottages being suffered to fall into decay and ruin.

is divided into quariers, but no fractions of time are in any case allowed to them. Then the persons employed are required, in many cases.

laborers have been congregated in villages, where to deal wiih the gang-masier for the supplies have prevailed all the evils, physical and moral,' they receive, in payment for their labor. '1 he which are naturally to be expected from alresulis of such a system are obvious. The crowded population, shoved into small and in- work being taken by the piece, the gang-master convenient habiiaiions, and subjected to innu-' presses them to their utmost suengih. The merable privaiions. In this case the farmer fragmenis of days, in which work is done and keeps in permanent and steady employment no not paid for to ihe laboiers, are all to the benefit more laborers than are absolutely required for of the gang-master, who, in such case, geis a the constant and uninierrupied operations of the large amount of work done at no cost. These farm: and relies upon the obtaining of a large poor wreiches, being unable to contract for ihem-nurnber of hands, or a gang, as ii is termed, I selves, or to get any work but through him, he, whenever any great job is to be accompli.-hed,' of course, detennines the price of ihe labor, and, that he may be enabled to effect it ai once and one may be sure, puts it dnwn to ihe lowest

at the smallest e.xpen.se. Under these circum-siances he applies to a gang-master, as he is

point. But bis advantages do not end here, for there is no doubt ihat he greis a high advance

termed, who contracts for iis execution, and ^ upon ihe goods which he requires them to pur-through whom the poor laborers must find em- chase of him, and thus their wages aie reduced ployrneni, if ihey find it at all; and upon whose ! still lower. No just or benevoleni mind, it would

terii'S they must work or gel no work. 'I lie gang-masier has them then completely in his power, taking care to provide well for himself in his own commissions, which must, of course, be deducted fiotn the wages of the laborers, and subjecting them, at pleasure, to the most despotic and severe conditions. It is not optional

seem, can look upon any such s^-siem in all its details, as given in ihe Commissioners' Re) ort, but with a profound sense of iis mjusiice, oppression, and immorality.

"One of the gans-miasters says, 'If they go to work two hours and a half, it is a quarier of a day. If they go a long walk, seven miles or

with these poor creatures lo say wheiher so, and it comes on a wet da}', there is the walk they will work or not, but vv'heiher they will all for nothing. Children of the ages of four, work or die—ihey have no other resource—| five, and six, work in the gangs. 'J'hey earn 9d. change their condiiion they cannot—contract I a day, ihe big ones; the small, 4d.; childnnof separately for iheir l.ibor they cannot, becaufe'seven years old, 3d. a day.' 'li is ihe ruin of a the farmer confines his comracis to the gang-' girl,' says a parent, oiie of the laborers, 'to be master; and we may infer from the Reports of in such a place as that.' 'My children's hands the Commissioners, laid before the Government,' are so blisiered," says anoiher of the parenis, that the sysiern is one of oppression, cruelly, j' pulling turnips, thai I have been obliged to lie and plundfr, and in e\'ery respect leading to them up every night this winter. Pulling tur-gross immoralities. The distance to which nips blisiers ihe hands very much^ihey are th^se laborers go is ofien as much as five or six I obligeii to pull ihem up—ihey must not take miles, atid this usually on foot, and to return at; turnip crones (a sort of furk) for fear of da-nisrht. Children and girls are compelled to go' maginsr the turnips.'

these distances, and consequently rrm.'t rise very j "'The jrangstr.an, or leader,' says another early in the morning and reach home at a very witness, 'pays the wages of all employed in late hour at niirht. Girls and boys and young the gang, and, of course, makes his profit en-men and women work imli.scriininately toireiher lirely from their labor, as the farnicr takes care When the di.=<iance lo whieh ihey go fur work that ihe gang sysiem shall not cost him more is ten miles, ihey are sent in carts. When the, than the common sysiem of individual laborers.

T?

96

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The leader's profit, as I have heard, is sometimes 15s. per day. The assembling of twenty-five and thirty women and children and lads, of all ages and conditions and characters, together, has a most fatal effect upon their morals and conduct.' Another respectable and reverend witness says, ' The gang is superintended by a lazy, idle fellow, of profligate manners and a dishonest character—such, at all events, are the characters of two in my own neighborhood,' "

TO KILL ALDERS.

Have a large strong iron hook, made with an eye sufficiently large to run through it a strong draft chain. Put a yoke of oxen on to the chain, and place a hook around the cknnp with the point settled into the ground a little under the root. Let one person take hold of the tops of the bnshes and bend them over the hook, while the other starts the oxen, and thus hoitch them up by the main strength. In this way we once cleared several acres of thick alder growth, and they never started again.— Maine Farmer.

Would not this plan be a good one for extirpating SASSAFRAS, as Well as alders?

skeleton or an entire worm in the second or third joint from the head and none in the unaffected May wheat. The worm, found generally just below the upper joint, in its exhausted state was contracted and not larger than a clipped sewing thread, about the fifth or sixth of an inch long, and made op of rings. The wheat bad been cut a month or moie. The position taken in the body of the communication is still insisted on, viz: summer heat is necessary to give the cause of rust its injurious or destructive agency, and therefore we may not expect probable success when sowing a wheat which ripens late.

Graybeard. July 9, 1844.

For the Southern Planter,

RUST.

Mr. Editor^ —You received a few days since a short communication (over the signature of " Graybeard,") on the subject of rust in wheat.* If that paper be considered worthy of insertion in the Southern Planter let the following succeed as a postscript, containing, as many postscripts do, the gist of the communication.

P. S.—Since writing the above the writer called on a neighbor, who is a respectable, sensible, steady, observing and prosperous farmer, and with whom he does not often meet in consequence of an intervening river. Conversing on various subjects connected with agriculture and rust, among others he said he was satisfied that a worm, or worms, was the cause of rust, and slated tint another farmer adjoining was of the same opinion. He stated that in ever}' stalk affected by rust he found a worm, and in bright stalks he found none. The writer considered the observation unsatisfactory and the conversation passed on to the quality of the red May wheal, when a sheaf of it was sent for, to examine. In this sheaf were accidental!}' several stalks of late wheat, nisicd, their color bearing evidence of premature cutting. He drew these out and each of us began the search for worms by splitting them down with our knives, when, to a perfect conclusion, we invariably found a

♦ See page 180.

GUANO, OR HUANO.

The following facts relative to the singular properties of this manure, are extracted from a letter recent!}' received Ijy the Editor of the Southern Agriculturist, from his friei^d in Valparaiso :

" In your last you reminded me of nny promise of sending you a small bag of ' Huano,' from Peru. I will now state the reason why I did not fulfil it. About the lime I received your letter, I had been applying the ' Huano' to my garden, which ended in the destruction of it, and so disgusted me, that I did not comply, and threw away what I had ; this is now three years; since which I have discovered the cause of its bad effects, which was partly owing to my ignorance in using it. I put a double handful in about a quart of water, and found a portion of it dissolved and of the color of strong-coffee. I poured the liquor on a piece of ground, about eight feet by four feet square, in the back part of nriy lot, in which were planted a grapevine, a peach and orange tree, with a few bulbs and flowers; soon after, all my bulbs and flowers and even the weeds disappeared ; and now nothing will grow on the spot; where the Huano was put, the grape-vine has not flourished since, and the other trees are stunted.

"1 now understand they use it in Peru, vary-sparingly, and that only on ground where irrigation is required; and not in countries where they have rain. It is said that after using it, the practice must be kept up, as the ground will produce nothing without, for it acts like opium on the human system, that is to say, after once using it, the stimulant is constantly required. I would advise my friends to be cautious how they apply it to any valuable land ; and very sparingly if at all. The Peruvians use it on corn land; at the time of planting, they have the corn in a bag tied round their waist, and the Huar:o in another; and with the thumb and forefinger, they take out a pinch and plant it a few inches from the corn, then cover the whole and irrigate the land.

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"I have seen Huano retailed by the peck and [shipped by a company to the United States; it half peck at Callao, but never saw the mode of 1 is belter than ihe Chilian Huano; this will give planting, only heard it described, and you ob- j^ou an opportunilj' to try its effects; for you serve how liitle they apply to the ground. The can easily procure it by vessels coming to ship Orpheus, Captain Hill, is to load with four | Charleston, hundred tons of Peruvian Huano, which is \ Yours, &c. E. L. S."

THE PATENT SAFETY REIN.

We alluded in a former number to Miller's Safety Rein, of which we expressed a high opinion merely from the description given of it.— Since that time, we have procured one of them, probably the only one in America, and a trial of its pioperties has served to confirm the opinion formerly expressed that it is calculated to supersede all other contrivances for governing an unruly horse.

The cut, which is taken from the " Spirit of the Times," is an exact delineation of the fixture, and hardly needs description. The rein is attached to the headstall, between the ears. Embracing the neck is a strong cord, C, terminating in two loops, or swivels, through which the reins are passed. When the rein is tightened, lhi.g cord moving freely upon it, settles upon the projecting part of the windpipe, where its pressure exerci.ses a very salutary and controlling influence over the operations of the horse. We shall be happy to lend our rein, as a model, to any gentleman who maj' desire it, and we can recommend to him a saddler in this city, who can get up the apparatus as well and as cheaply

as any man in America. The following communication accompanies the cut in the " Spirit of the Times."

Dear P. —You will, perhaps, deem worthy of a place in the "Spirit of the Times" the accompanying diagram of the "safety rein" bridle^ and direction for its application to runaway and restive horses. For my own part I have bought, hired, borrowed and ridden horses under a caution to " mind, he's a devil of a runaway !" but have rarely found one that could run fast enough and long enough. J. S. S.

Washington, July 3, 1844.

J. S. Skinner, Esa.

Dear Sir,—According to your desire I send enclosed the drawing and paper description of the Scotch Safety Rein, "for the control of horses, under all circumstances^' which I received from Edinburgh a few weeks since. I hope yon will, as you intimated tome your wish, communicate the knowledge of this simple, b\it, in my estimation, most valuable invention, to the Editor of the " Spirit of the Times," in order that it may be at once known to those who will duly appreciate its value; but a man must have been

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run away wiih and have a narrow escape with his life, as was my experience not very long ago, in order fullij to esiimate this invention.

It is patenied, as you will noiice, for Scoiland, England and Ireland, and I iniended to have had it patented in this country, for ihe benefit of the inventor, but abandoned tjje idea on learning that the cost of doing so to a. foreigner or his assignee would be as high as five hundred dollars.

I have had the rein made at Polkenhorn & Campbell's, on Pennsylvania Avenue, and use it constantly both with single and double harness. I have not tested its power on a horse running off, but from my experiments in " holding up" a hard-mouthed, hard-pulling, high-spirited Northern horse, when excited and trotting at a speed of a mile in about three and a half minutes, I feel satisfied that all said of the Safety Rein by the inventor is true, and I am moreover assured of it from what I have been told b}' a Scottish clergyman who lately passed a few days at my house, who says that "Miller's Safety Rem" is celebrated in Scotland, and that he has seen accounts in the newspapers of that countr}' of cases where its use has been, m all probability, instrumental in saving human life.

I have found it much more convenient to have the rein attached to the driving reins instead of the splash board, by passing it loosely through two loops stitched to the driving reins about a foot forward of that part of the latter usually j held in the hand when driving; arranged in this way, I find it not at all inconvenient to carry the safety' rein, and not one person in ten of casual observers would noiice its presence. Very respectfully.

Your obedient servant,

Thomas Blagden.

DIRECTIONS FOR USE OF SAFETY REIN.

In putting on the rein for a gig, keep the buckle to the left hand, or near side; that will place the loop, which is on the middle of the rein, below the hook or head of the bridle, which prevents it from being thrown out by the mo'icn of the horse's head. For a pair of horses, keep the two short chapes outmost, and the loops on the middle downwards. For saddle, keep the buckle 10 the left hand.

When the rein is used either for running, rearing, kicking or going backwards, it should be applied suddenly with a strong arm, keeping up the pressure until the horse is still ; it should then be relieved sudrienly, at the same lime motioning the horse lo go on. If he is only a runaway he will obey it at once, such horses being generally of a willing good temper. But should he posse.=s the other vices, or any of them, it frequently proceeds from a stubborn, sulky tem-

perament; with such horses the above proccsz may require to be repeated, until he is subdued, and obey the moiion, which will be effected, even in the worse cases, afier a few times.

To derive the full benefit of this rem, it is recommended after the hoise has been a few times firmly gripped with it, to use it occasionally, and it should frequently be used instead of ihe bit-rein to stop him on ordinary occasion; this will remind the horse of his subjection, and will accustom the rider or driver lo the read}' and accurate use of it in case of an emergency.

By attending to the foregoing directions, the most troublesome horse will, to a certainty, become quiet and manageable.

POUDRETTE-

-ITS EFFECT UPON TOBACCO PLANTS.

We are much obliged lo Mr. Ruflin for the following communication. There is no one thing that oftener shortens the tobacco crop than the failure to obtain a good st'and of plants. It will be recollected that a similar statement of the effect of poudrette on the plant bed was obtained from Dr. M'Caw, of Powhatan, and published in the Planter, last year. The manufactured article undoubtedly costs too much for cotnmon purposes, but it is almost impossible to say how much the Planter could afford to give for the small quantity that would be required for his plant bed, if indeed it secures him a supply of vigorous and healthy plants. At any rate, a proper appreciation of its value will lead him to the scrupulous saving of the home production.

Mr, Editor, —Last spring, you requested all who had tried, or were then trying, the virtues of [loudrette, of the manufacture of D. K. Minor, of New York, to give you the results of their respective experiments. Mine was upon a limited scale, but I give you its result, as it may tend to exonerate Mr, Minor from the censure which has been visited on him, and may promote more extended and beneficial irials As you ask testimony, it is proper that I subscribe my name.

Last fall, I ordered, and received from New York seven barrels of Minor's pouilreite, which I meant to use upon my plant beds. In all the month of January, I burned sixteen hundred yards of plant land, of the quality usually found in the forest of the souihwest mountiains—gravelly, dark, abounding in virgin mould, free from clay, and tolerably moist. It was burned too hai-d, and rather late. The weather was dry at the lime of sowing the seed, and ihey were not well got in, in consequence. Immediately upon sowing, I divided each bed as equally as 1 could.

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and on one half of each I sowed poudreiie, at the raie of half a bushel to ihe hundred yards; leaving the balance for stable manure, which was afterwards applied. The whole was covered with brush, but so thinly put on, that the seed which came up first, all perished, and 1 "feared I should have no plants. The beds around me were quite forward and flourishing, ■when mine were bare. At last ihey came up again, but as fast as they showed themselves, they were eaten down by the fly. At this stage, about the first of May, I again applied the poudreite to the whole in the same proportion as before. A shower shortly followed, and I cannot conceive a more rapid and healthy growth than my plants instantly took. They-come on in full tiime for planting my whole crop of eighty thousand hills, and were by far the best plants I ever saw. Something is no doubt attributable to the thinness of the beds, but much more, I am persuaded, is due to the poudrette. I did not wait for these plants, but planted about half my crop of small, but early plants, from the luxuriant beds of a friend. The balance and the replanting rny own supplied; and I v/ouid have found my advantage in waiting a week longer to plant the whole from thein.

A barrel of poudrette, equal in size to a common flour barrel, v.'eighs about as much as dirt. My supply, delivered at my landing on the Ri-vanna, cost about two dollars a barrel. This is evidently too cosily to justify its application to common purposes. But my experience of its benefits on tobacco plants, of the economy in hauling it to a distance, and the still greater economy in weeding plants, manured with an article which does not contain the seeds of a single weed, induces me to think it cheap for this particular purpose at the price I gave.

CURING HAY.

Whilst the pen is in my hand, I will give you the result of an experiment in hay making, suggested to my mind by a communication m the first volume of Buel's Cultivator.

In cutting my late crop of clover hay, I put up a part of it in cocks as soon it was cut. It had not fallen, nor become crisp from the action of the sun. The rest was treated in the usual way. The interval between cutting and stacking was showery, and some of rny hay was injured. 'I'he part which was cut and cocked up green stood the rain well, and was fine hay. It had cured in the cock. I was so well satisfied with this, that in cutting my timothy hay 1 pursued that plan throughout. I did not permit it to lie in swaths for a longer time than was necessary to allow a horse-rake to get room to work. As soon as that could go, it collected the hay, which was put into cocks by hands that followed, and was thus left to cure. In that way with eleven ordinary hands I cut and

got up in one day five or six acres of heavy timolhy meadow. On ricking it, it proved to be as fine hay as I ever saw made in any other way; and my overseer, whose judgment about it is better than my own, thought it the finest he had ever seen, though he was at first very much opposed to the plan. It sttiod two showers.

This aniong other things may account for the advantages of the plan : the leaf is not parched as when exposed to the sun, but becomes wilted and lies flat over the clover or other hay, thus aifording a sort of cover from sun and rain. Respectfully, your obedient servant,

Fkanic G. Ruffin.

Shadwell, Jllabemarle, July 6, 1844.

For the Southern Planter.

EMIGRATION.

JVfr. Editor, —With the re-establishment of the monetary affairs of the country and the consequent ability to make sales of their property', the desire to emigrate to the West begins to manifest itself again amongst our people. Notwithstanding the repealed warnings and the repeated disappointments they have encountered, the demon of restlessness and the love of change urge men to exchange property here, which only needs the application of an improved husbandry to render them prosperous and independent, for all the hazard and all the privation that are attendant upon the life of an emigrant. If this infatuation injured only the subjects of it, it would not be so had, but by every removal those that remain are deeply afi'ecied. We lose the sociel}' of good neighbors, of kindly friends, and in short, all the^ advantages and all the blessings of a dense population. I think something may be done to stay this tide of emigration by those who are determined to abide by " Old Virginia," and who believe that more can be nnade by improving an exhausted acre than by clearing and reclaiming a new one. The intended emigrant must sell before he can start, and nine limes oat of ten he finds a purchaser in one of his neighbors. Would it not be well for our farmers to agree amongst themselves to buy no more land, and thus bind these runaways to their homes. It has beconie the fashion of the day to subdue a prevailing evil by means of the powerful effect of association, and I propose to counteract this besetting and destructive love of extended domain, by the formation of an anti-land-acqtjiring society. But in sober truth, I was more than ever struck with the double impolicy of extending our farms by the expulsion of our neighbors, from a conversation that passed in my presence between two of my friends. Mr. L. and Mr. E, live upon adjoining estates, and started in the world under very similar circumstances. By a system of management, economy

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and industry, Mr. L. has brought his farm to a high state of improvement, and has accumulated a money capital of three or four thousand dollars. Mr. E., on the contrary, by an entirely opposite course of conduct, has exhausted bis land, and involved himself in debt. He is very desirous of selling cftid thinks he can do much better in the West. He offered his land to Mr. L. at a very low rate, and urged upon him the propriety of making this investment of his capital. It was the good sense of his reply with which 1 was struck. " It is," said he, " by great econom}' and by bestowing all the means 1 could save upon the improvement of my farm, that I have been enabled to accumulate a little sum of money. This sum is devoted to the further improvement of the land I already possess, and experience has thoroughly satisfied me that it is by far the best investment I can make of it. But suppose, instead of this, I devote it, as you would have me, to the purchase of your land; What is the consequence ? I shall only be lending my assistance to deprive mj'self of a kind and useful neighbor, whilst I encumber myself with an extensive landed property, a considerable debt, and am totally without the means of improvement. No, Mr. E., take my advice ; let your wife and children stay amongst those who love and honor them. Turn your attention to a-more judicious system of husbandry—seek, in agricultural works and in agricultural newspapers, the most improved modes of cultivating the earth; use one half of the economy, and suffer one half of the privations to which you will be subjected in the West, and you will soon be, not only out of debt, but as I am now, with every thing smiling, happy and cotnfortable around you.".

It is not only the advice but the example of Mr. L. that I commend to your readers.

Your obedient servant, S. H.

Louisa, July 10, 1844.

From the Boston Cultivator. DESTROYING LICE ON CATTLE.

Messrs. Editors, —About a year ago, if I rightly remember, I read in your paper an article on the means of destroying these troublesome insects, by applying a mixture of lime and ashes to the floor on which the cattle stand and rest. My cattle doubtless like all others, have ever been more or less infested with this hateful species of vermin. I have tried various expedients for their extermination, such as Scotch, or yellow snuff, lard, decoction of tobacco, &c., none of which have ever proved sufficiently adequate to effect the object intended.

Last fall when my cattle came to the barn, I resolved upon trying lime and ashes, as a preventive of lice amongst thera. Accordingly I

mixed them in about equal quantities, and spread them upon my stable floors, directly under my cattle's forefeet. When what I had applied at first was exhausted, I then made another application of the same mixture and so continued to do during the winter.

As to the effect this practice has had in preventing lice amongst my cattle, I can candidly stale that they were never more free from thera, than they are this spring.

1 will mention one fact in confirmation of the utilily of this application for destroying lice.

In February last I purchased a pair of four year old cattle that were exceedingly lousy. I was particular to keep the floor upon which they stood well strown with these ingredients, and upon examining them several weeks after, I could not discover a solitary individual of the numerous host remaining.

The lime of which I made use, had lain open to the action of the atmosphere until it was reduced to a powder, or nearly so before usinar.

M.

Editorial Remark. —The above seems to be a veiy simple and effectual remedy, and it may be practi.sed without the least injury to the cattle, which is not the case with some remedies used, such as mercurial ointments, a decoction of tobacco, oil, &c. In cold weather oil has a bad effect, as it keeps the hide moist for a long time, readil}' conducting off the animal heat and producing a chill. As vermin are so destructive to the peace, comfort and thrift of cattle, no pains should be spared in guarding against them and applying a remedy wherever they make their appearance.

ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT.

We listened to some very interesting remarks from Dr. Lee on this subject at an agricultural meeting in Albany, last spring, and made some notes of them which we intended for publication. If we understood the Doctor correctly, his idea was this: That the domestic animals were valued for certain functional properties that they possessed, as the cow for her property of secreting milk, the sheep for his wool producing ability, &c. These products are elaborated from the food consumed, and their elements should be sought in the food with which the animal is fed. The ox cannot elaborate muscle and fat from the same constituents which afford wool to the sheep. By a proper selection of food not only is a greater quantity of the constituents for the required product afforded, but an additional stimulus is constantly given to the particular organ, whereby its action is greatly improved and

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developed: and ihis with judicious crossing ihe Doctor thinks must constitute the basis of animal improvement. But, here he is in the columns of the American Agricuhurist; let him speak for himself:

ORGANIC IMPROVEMENT OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS.

Sheep and other animals were subdued and domesticated long before their biped captors and masters were able to keep a record of their doings-for the benefit of their posteritj^. Hence we know little of the original stock from which our domestic animals have descended, and less of the early treatment they received at ihe hands of our own progenitors. Nor is this information important. It concerns us mainly to understand how a change of food, temperature, and of all surrounding circumstances, will either improve or deteriorate the organic structure and natural functions, which transform for the practical farmer his cultivated plants, their seeds and roots, into wool, beef, pork, milk, lard, butler, and cheese. That there is a wide difference in the results obtained, by the operation of this living machinery in different animals, no observing man can doubt. Of two cows of equal weight, and consuming equal quantities of food precisely ahke, one will elaborate for its owner eighteen quarts of milk in twenty-four hours, while the other can form but nine quarts in the same length of time. A pig, whose organization is apparently nearly perfect, will elaborate from a given amount of raw material, twice as much flesh and fat, as another whose respiratory and assimilating machinery are very defective. Experience and science alike demonstrate the truth of the remark that it takes fifiy per cent, more food to produce a given amount of ixiuscular strength and power of locomotion in one horse or ox, than is required in another. Animals that had a common parentage ten general ions back, now posse.3s not only widely different forms, but organic and constitutional peculiarities, of great importance to those that rnay become rich or poor, according to the well or ill management of iheir herds and flocks. Eminent success alone attends skill in ihe breeding and keeping of domestic animals. This valuable skill is acquired by close observation, and studying the uniform laws of nature that govern the grov.'th, rrraturity, and decay of organic beings. The most important and material changes in the development of the organs of animals, and in the function of each organ, are made during the period that elapses from the first formation of the embryo, to the maturity of each living complex structure.

"As the twig is bent the tree 's inclined."

The plasticity of young animals and plants, Vol,. IV.—20

and the extreme changes that may be wrought in their forms and habits are truly wonderful— The human brain itself can be moulded in infancy into any shape to suit the whim or taste of a " Flat-Flead" or a "Round-Head" Indian. Nor is there a single mental or physical function in the human system, that may not be either improved or impaired by the good or bad influences which may be brought to bear upon it.— The science of physiology is a noble science. It enables cultivated reason to trace results—the products of animal life, such as flesh, fat, milk, and wool—back to their known causes and elements.

I can hardly expect to give you even an outline of the organization and workings of this complex vital machinery. There are, however, a few cardinal points in this matter, which I will endeavor to make clear and intelligible.— One is, that no aniinal or plant can possibly transmute one simple elementary substance into another. If a hen be fed on food that is quite destitute of lime, the organs of her sj'slem can not form an eggshell, so if a child, calf, or colt, be kept on food that lacks phosphate of lime, its bones will be soft and cartilaginous. No other minerals can be changed into lime or phosphorus.

Animp,l fat is a compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen ; and no other simple elements can possibly make it. Lean meat and wool contain the same elements, with the addition of nitrogen, stdphur, and several other earthy ingredients in minute quantities.

Knowing that no animal can create anew one particle of matter, and that each compound product has its peculiar constituent elements; knowing also how much of those elements is contained in any article of food, we can judge of its fitness or unfitness lo produce either bone, muscle, fat, milk, wool, or any other animal product. In other words, we can wisely adapt our means to the ends we have in view.

Suppose a farmer had one hundred hens in his poultry-yard, and he desired them to lay as many and perfect eggs as possible. Would it be an unreasonable prescription' to say to him that "3'ou must feed them liberally on food which contains not only lime, but all the elements of the contents of an eggshell in a concentrated form? Deny not the raw material, if you expect ihe bird to elaborate for your table, or for market, a large product of this article of human food."

Is it anything extraordinary that a race of cows, whose mothers for many generations have had their milk-forming orirans largely developed by being fed on food well adapted to that end, should secrete far more milk from a given amount of raw material, than a race of wild cows, whose lacteal glands had been denied all the advantages that result from quietude, rich pasture, and regular dry milking?

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A sheep consumes several pounds of food daily.- Of this, at least eig-ht ounces are composed of the constituents of wool. Now if the capillary organs of this animal transform only two per cent, of these elements into wool in twenty four hours, then in one hundred days the sheep will grow one pound of this valuable product. This will give a fleece which will weigh SyYir lbs. in 365 days. Is it not practicable so to improve the vital action of the wool-forming machinery of our twenty millions of sheep in this country, that this machinery shall transform four instead of two per cent, of the raw rriaterial of wool into that substance'? That this organic machinery is perfect no one pretends; or that it has already been greatly improved, is not denied. The manufitcture of wool out of its constituent elements, is a branch of science of great importance to the fanners of the United States. They possess an inexhiiusiible quantity of the raw material of wool, and enjoy every advantage for its profitable production. To develop the capdlary organs of the sheep, the animal should have a warm, or rather a comfortable, well ventilated apartment in winter—should be kept quiet throughout the year; that is, it should not be compelled to travel too much to find its food. It should have the organs that form this animal product at all times stimulated to a preternatural action, by having the arteries that convey nourishment to these organs, preternaturally loaded with the elements of wool. A plant grows best in a soil rich in the elements of such plant. So too an animal, and especially a young animal, elaborates the most flesh and fat when its bloodvessels are best supplied with the elements of those products.

Clover, oats, turnips, beans, peas, and other leguminous plants, contain njore of the constituents of wool than timothy, herdsgrass, potatoes, and corn. All aniinals should be fed regularly, and particular attention should be paid to their he^ilih and comfort. It is, perhaps, needless 1o say, that every improvement in the practical workings of ail this living machinery can be transferred from parent to offspring by judicious breeding.

The action of the respiratory organs in all domestic animals has a material influence upon the formation of fat, muscle, milk, and wool.— The lungs never cease night nor day lo expel more or less of the elements of animal food through the winrlpipe into the air, in the form of carbonic acid and vapor. The organization of some animals is so defective that they consume in this way a much larger quantitj' of the constituents of flesh, fat, milk, and wool, than is necessary or profitable. The more an animal exercises, the faster he breathes, and other things being equal, the poorer he becomes; because, instead of nourishing and supplying the waste in the system, the elements of the food escape

in a larger ratio fromi the assimilating organs. The food of animals consists essentially of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. The first escapes through the lungs, the second and third escape in vapor, perspiration and urine, and the last (nitrogen) also escapes by the kidneys.— Hence, a cow when driven twelve miles a day, never gives as much niilk as she does when consuming the same amount of food and remaining quiet in a pasture or stall. It is an easy matter to enlarge or diminish the size of the blood-vessels that convey the elements of milk to the lacteal gland of the cow, or the vessels that convey the elements of wool to the capillary organs of the sheep. It is not difficult to increase both the size and strength of the muscles of a colt, or of a young bullock. Like the enlargement of the muscles in the arm of a blacksmith, judicious exercise must come to the aid of judicious keep.

D. Lee. Albany, April 30, 1844.

From the Albr.ny Cnllivaior.

CHARCOAL FOR PEACH TREES.

Messrs. Editors, —A friend of mine has just ; informed me of the success he has met with, by I the application of charcoal to his peach trees; a few years ago he had some fine trees in his garden which invariably had wormy fruit; and the trees full of gum ; when the fruit was about the size of marbles, he had the earth removed from each tree about two feet around and three inches deep, and filled up with charchoal; the result was that the fruit grew to a fine size free from worms ; and every 3'ear since, the fruit has been good, and the trees became healthy and free from gum; while two trees left without the charcoal, continue to bear wormy fruit, and the trees unhealihy. As this will be in titne for the readers of the Cultivator lo make a trial this year, and should it prove as good with oihersas in this case, it will certainly be of great benefit to the fruit grower.

If farmers will plant their pumpkins, melons and other vines on land that brought corn the past year, (hey will never be troubled with the striped bug. This course has been practised here for many years, and has always proved successful, when vines planted on land that had any other crop, even vines the year previous, are destroyed by the bug.

H. R. ROBEY.

Hopewell, Va., May ] 0, 1844.

HINT TO CORN PLANTERS.

The advantages of deep ploughing in planting Indian corn, is well exhibited in the following article, first published more than twenty years

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ago, and which can now be read whh benefit by many.— JSIer. Journal.

" Dr. Moore, of Mar3-l.ind, who has written a treatise on agriculture, asserts, that agriculture is-more followed and less understood, ihan any other mechanical branch in the United States. He says, if ground is cultivated in a proper manner, every person may plant two hills of corn for one he does now, on the same ground — and the corn will be equally as good, which is a double crop. He further sajs the general average depth of corn ground as broken up and planted is about three and a half or four inches, and that one week's hot sun after the ground becomes droughty, will dry the ground and scorch the corn so as lo stop its growth. But to plough up jour ground eight inches deep, your corn will stand growing a three weeks drought, and if jou plough twelve or fourteen inches deep, it will grow every day during a six or seven weeks drought.

"I have made an experiment, and I think with success, and have saved a large portion of the labor of deep ploughing, and gained some of its advantages. I break up and strike out my corn ground in the old usual way—the furrow I plant in, I run a single coulier ten or twelve inches deep in the centre of the furrow, and plant on that mark. When my corn is up, I run a bar-shear once round in each corn row, and make my coulter-plough follow in the same furrow as deep as formerly. Thus every corn row has three coulter furrows, fourteen or fifteen inches deep around the whole.

" The Doctor asserts, that corn roots run no deeper than you break and cultivate the srround and th's gives pasture for the roots. With this small addition of labor in a corn crop, such a dry summer as last was, this plant will give a third, fourth or fifth more corn. .Mtention always ought lo be paid in laying by corn the last ploughing, never to plough every row, but every other one, throughout the field in dry weather, then turn and plough up those left. But do not act the fool, and cut all the roots the same day, and stop the growth of your corn, as there is no doubt but one hundred thousand barrels of corn are destroyed every season by ploughing every row."

SMUT.

It is astonishing how slowly the most valuable discoveries in agriculture make their way amongst the great mass of the farming community. We have heard great complaints this year of smutty wheat. W^hy should the farmer permit his hopes as well as his grain to be blighted by this pestilential fungu.=, when there 13 a preventive so sure and so well established

as the use of brine and lime? For the twentieth time we repeat, that numberless experiments, reported upon the most unquestionable authority, establish the fact, that if you will soak 3'our seed wheat in a strong brine, and then, havmg spread it upon your bam floor, sift over it about one-twelfth of its btjlk of freshly slacked lime, raking it in well, your crop will be freed from even the semblance of smut.

RECIPES.

A lady whose culinary abilities are well known to all hei friends, has sent us the following recipes:

TURTLE SOUP AND CALF HEAD SOUP.

Your turtle must be cleaned and prepared for the soup the day before you make it. Let the meat lie in weak salt water all night; early in the morning put in on the fire, about two gallons of water to a moderate sized turtle. Let it boil steadily but very slowlj' about four hours. Then put two potatoes, two sinall onions, one turnip and one carrot, all cut up very small, (these should be put in a cloth,) and let them boil until you put in the thickening. A tea-spoonful of cloves and as much ground black pepper, if not strong, a small table-spoonful. A tea-spoonful cayenne pepper, a lable-spoonful of salt and the same of sweet marjoram, summer savory and thyme. If this is not enough to your taste, add more, two middle sized nutmegs. Boil all these until the soup is reduced one-half; then take out the cloth of vegetables and the turtle, and pick the latter clean, cut it into pieces large enough to eat with 3'our soup, and return it to the pot, and afterwards mix three or four table-spoonfuls of browned flour, \vith half a pound of butter; add this to the soup—let this be very smooth, or your soup will be covered with small black floating p;iriicles. Put two table-spoonfuls of catsup and one-half a pint of while wine. I'hese last must be to your taste.

Make calf head soup exactly in the same way; this quantity of seasoning will serve for a large calf's head: the brains must be tied up in a cloth and boiled in the soup, but not added until just before the last boil, before seasoning.

In making ttirile soup the lower shell should be boiled with the soup. For calf head or turtle soup either, if the latter has no eggs, boil the yolks of two hen's eggs very hard, mash them with a silver spoon in a little water, add flour sufficient to form a stiff paste; roll it the size of marbles, add them before the last boil; do not allow them to be in more than five minutes before going to the tahle.

With either soup have always forcemeat balls ; to make which take a pound and a half

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of veal not cooked, chop it fine, put a small quantity of beef, salt, some crumbs of bread, say half as much as meat—season the mixture highly with sage, sweet herbs and pepper, nutmeg and salt, roll the balls round and then flatten them and fry them in butter a light brown, and when the soup is ready to be served drop them in : either celerj^ tops or parsley in small quantity is an improvement to the soup; they must be cut very small.

RKCIPE FOR TOMATO CATSUP.

Put ripe tomatoes in a pot with only enough water to keep them from sticking to the bottoin of the pot. When they have boiled sufficiently to split the skins and make their juice, strain through a sifter.

To one gallon of juice put two pounds of brown sugar, two table-spoonfuls of flour of mustard, a good handful of black pepper, (allspice and mace, if you v/ish, may be added in small quantities,) let it boil until it thickens. Just before you take it off pour in a quart of sharp vinegar and salt, to your taste.

GINGER BEER.

Lump sugar 4 a pound. Cream of tartar ^ an ounce. Bruised ginger 1 ounce. Boihng water 1 gallon. Ferment 24 hours with yeast.

MANURE,

It is well known that in a close stable, where there are a good many horses, there is a very pungent smell affecting the eyes and nose, more particularly when the stable is being cleaned out. This smell is occasioned by the flying off of ammonia, which is the essence and value of manure and which volatilizes or flies off at a very low temperature: even the warmth of the manure in a stable will send it off, and it goes off in great quantities by the coiumon heat of the manure in a farm-yard whether thrown up in heaps or not. There is, however, a very cheap and simple remedy for this. Before you begin to clear out your stable, dissolve some common salt in water; if a four horse stable say four potmds of salt, disso:ved in two buckets of water and poured through the nose of a watering pan over the stable floor an hour or so before you begin to move the manure, and the volatile salts of ammonia will become fixed salts from their having united with the muriatic acid of the comiTion salt, and the soda thus liberated from the salt will quickly absorb carbonic acid, forming carbonate of soda, thus you will retain with your manure the ammonia that would otherwise fly away, and you have also a new and most important agent.—JV. E. Farmer.

EDUCATION,

The following brief but beautiful passage occurs in a late article in Frazer's Magazine:

'•Education does not commence with the alphabet. It begins with a mother's look—with a father's nod of approbation, or a sigh of reproof—with a sister's gentle pressure of the hand, or a brother's noble act of forbearance— with handfuls of flowers in green and daisy meadows—with birds' nests admired, but not touched—with creeping ants, and almost imperceptible emmets—with humming bees and glass beehives—with pleasant walks in shad}' lanes— and with thoughts directed in sweet and kindly tones and words, to nature, to beauty, to acts of benevolence, to deeds of virtue, and to the sense of all good, to God himself

For the Southern Planter. REAPING MACHINE.

Mr. Editor^ —I saw in one of your back magazines, (March, I think,) an account of a "Reaping Machine," patented by Mr. M'Cor-mick. Can you mention in your next Planter whether this machine can be used on hilly, uneven, or stony ground, and with what success ? I also read an advertisement of Mr. M'Cormick's in one of the Washington papers, in which he guarantees his machine to reap from fifteen to twenty acres per diem. Can you let ixie know the results of your experience in the above ■? as reaping season will soon be at hand, and oblige

Agricola.

JVew York, July 21, 1844.

Experience is the best teacher, and the unanimous approbation of those who have thoroughly tested them has satisfied us of the efficiency and duration of M'Cormick's reaper. We confess we were a little afraid of this machine at first, and were rather inclined to give the preference to Hussey's. But all inference must yield to facts, and we are now satisfied from the testimony of some of the most judicious farmers in the State, that our fears were entirely groundless. It is only necessary to refer to the numerous certificates in the Whig and Enquirer from those who have used them, which are too long to be transferred to our columns, to satisfy us of the utility of this machine.

In answer to our correspondent, we have to say, that the machine can be successfully used upon hilly, uneven, or stony ground, provided the hills are not too steep, and the stones too large. The knife cuts a swath of about six feet in width ; any obstacle projecting more than nine inches from the surface would present an impe-

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diment to its passage, and would have to be avoided. On a hill side where a cart can travel easily the machine will work well. We have it from the best authority, that this machine will cut from fifteen to twenty acres a day with great ease.; its great merit, however, is not only in the quantity of labor performed, but in the cleanness of cut. In this respect it is so far superior to the old mode of cradling, that many have

reckoned that the saving in a large crop would more than repay the expense of the machine.

Since the receipt of the letter above we have seen some very strong testimonials from farmers in New York to whom Mr. IVrCorrnick has been exhibiting it. In fact, it wins golden opinions wherever it goes, and we sincerely hope that the ingenious and enterprising inventor may pocket a great many of them.

HARROW

[Fig. No. 3.]

In an old number of the Cultivator we find the following description of an implement, that we know by experience to be a very useful one:

J. Buel:

Dear Sir, —The drag or harrow, here described, is the best implement for the cornfield, market garden and " truckpatch," I have ever seen. It is preferred to and takes the place of I the culhvator, where both are known, the supe-' riority consisting mainly in the circumstance of | its getting deeper into the ground and leaving it' in a situation much less likely to bake. I obtained a drawing and description from my brother in Maryland for the benefit of this State; a copy is annexed for the benefit of mankind. Yours, with much regard,

G. FiTZHUGH.

Madison, la., Jan. 1, 1839.

DESCRIPTION.

The frame is made of good oak timber, 3 inches broad on top, by 3^ inches deep. The

middle piece is 8 feet 2 inches long—the clevis hole seen at 4 is 4^ inches from the end ; the front tooth in the same piece is 10| inches from the end, and seen at 2 in a square long plate with a round hole for the neck of the tooth, to come through ; at 2j inches from the hind end of same piece is a vertical mortise, 2^ inches long and 1 inch broad, for a post to support the handles—the post is made of strong timber 2^ by 3 inches square, and is 19| inches long—it has a tenon 3| long by 2^ broad and 1 inch thick, to fit into ihe mortise at 1—at 11 inches from the shoulder of the post, commences another mortise (in a different direction of the tenon) 2f inches deep and 1 inch wide, into which is to be fitted a cross to support the handles, tapered and rounded to go into the handles, which fit on both sides of the cross, with -J hole about 2 feet 3 inches from their lower ends, and extend back about the same distance, having a round behind the cross to confine them together, at 1 foot 5 mches from the upper ends, and are

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1 foot G inches wide at the round. The side pieces are 2 feet 6 inches long, and join the middle piece opposite the clevis hole, and are united to the centre piece by a slat 3| inches broad at one end, and 3 inches the other, I inch thick and 18 inches long, the mortise for it to commence 7^ inches from ends of side pieces. The teeth are placed in these at the distance of 5J inches from the ends as in the number 2.— The teeth are niade of best bar iron l^ by } inches—the necks are 5 inches long, and are at the shoulder 1^ inches by f square, and are tapered and rounded at the top for a strong screw; in the side pieces they must be placed obliq\iely, that their tracks may be parallel with the middle. They must have strong plates for the bottom, say 5 inch thick, 2-| broad, 4^ long, and well nailed on ; the top plates much lighter, and the holes for the teeth in the bottom plates must fit ihe necks well, and of course must be cut into the sides obliquely to give the proper direction as before intimated—the shoulders of the teeth must fit well; with a cold punch, indent the numbers respectively behind the shoulder of each tooth, and on each plate and nut, to distinguish their places.

For the Southern Planter.

Boydton, July 4, 1844.

At a joint meeting of the two Agricultural Clubs of Mecklenburg county, held this day, pursuant to previous arrangement, on motion of Mr. Towns, A. C. Morton, Esq. was called to the Chair, and H. E. Lockett appointed Secretary.

After the meeting was duly organized, the Clubs proceeded to the Court House, where a considerable audience, composed principally of the farmers of the county, was in attendance. The Declaration of Independence was read by H. E. Lockett, and an address, distinguished alike for its force of argument, iis beauty of composition, and its practical information on agriculture, was delivered by Mr. Charles T. Botts, the Editor of the Southern Planter, who was present in accordance with an invitation from the two Clubs.

Whereupon, it was unanimously

Resolved, That the thanks of this meeting be tendered to Mr. Botts for the very able, instructive, and interesting address which he has delivered.

Resolved, also. That this meeting reco.mmend the Southern Planter, edited by C. 'I\ Botts, Esq. to the agriculturists of Mecklenburg, as a work well worthy, for its cheapness, its intrinsic merit, and the locality where it is published, of the patronage of the Clubs, as well as the public generally.

Resolved, further, That Charles T. Botts, Esq.

be elected an Honorary Member of the two Clubs of Mecklenburg.

Whereupon, Dr. Jones and Dr. Venable were appointed a committee to wait upon Mr. Botts and inform him of his election, and that he is invited to attend the annual meetings of the Clubs.

On motion,

Resolved, That Dr. Jones, H, E. Lockett, Dr. Venable, and Richard Boyd, Esq., be appointed a committee to examine the books of the two Clubs, and report to A. C. Morton, Esq., the President of this meeting, such matter as to them may seem of general interest, and that he be authorized to condense, and report such to the Southern Planter for publication.

On motion.

Resolved, That H. H. Buiwell, Esq. be requested to read the Declaration of American Independence, and the Hon. Wm. O. Goode to deliver an address on agriculture at the irext annual meeting of the Clubs of Mecklenburg.

On motion.

Resolved, That the Agricultural Clubs of Mecklenburg will hold their next annual m.eet-ing in Boydton, on the 4ih day of July, 184.5, and that the Corresponding Secretaries of the Clubs be required to give sufficient notice, that the ladies, especiali-y, and the public generally be invited to attend.

On motion,

Resolved, That the proceedings of this meeting be sent to the Editor of the Southern Planter, with the request that he publish them.

On motion.

Resolved, That this meeting do now adjourn. A. C. Morton, President.

Henrv E. Lockett, Secretary.

REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF

PATENTS.

We will make some extracts from this report and accompany them with such comments as we may deem pertinent.

DITCHING.

Mr. Ellsworth says:

" Bjf a valuable machine, with ten yoke of oxen and five hands, a ditch of suitable depth for draining lands, (fourteen inches deep, and twenty-eight inches wide at the top,) ten miles may be excavated in one day, at an expense, by contract, of not more than three cents per rod. A larger machine, with a greater number of oxen, will excavate a ditch three feet deep. The great importance of such an instrument on the prairies of the West will at once be seen and acknowledged."

There are two or three varieties of this ma-

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chine; one of ihem, that of Mr. Schermerhorn, was described in an early number of the Planter. All we have seen have been cosily and complicated, and however adapted they may be to the "prairies of the West," ihey are certainly un-suited to any biU a loose, free soil, entirely clear of roots and stones.

WHEAT.

We select the following paragraph from a long and interesting report upon the wheat crop, as particularly worthy of attention:

"A new variety of wheat, which has been verj' highly recornmended, is the improved flint. Some of this has been obtained from the proprietor. General Harmon, of Wheatland, New York, and distributed to the menibers of the national legislature and various distinguished agriculturists, by which means it will undoubtedly be tried very extensively hereafter throughout the whole country. Gen. Harmon's account of it is as follows: 'The improved flint wheat has been improved from the old flint, by selecting the purest examples, and sowing them on sandy and gravelly limestone land, so that the berry is now Icirger and whiter, and the bran or hull very thin ; the heads are longer ; and the straw too is stiffer, and not as subject to lodge as formerly. This is the most valuable variety grown in this section of country. It bears a good yield, producing a beautiful berry, weighing 64 lbs. to the bushel, and producing more superfine flour to the bushel than any other variety I am acquainted with. It is not affected by the Hessian fly as much as many other varieties.' The same gentleman has paid very considerable at-teniion lo the culture of different varieties, and makes a remark which deserves consideration, 'The greatest objection lo new varieties from warmer latitudes, is, that they are not hung to stand our winter. I have sown the white May Virginia for five years; the first two years I was pleased with it; since then, it has been failing; it has not withstood the winters well, and the heads are growing shorter, and the berry more red.' He also thus speaks of his mode of culture: ' Thirty years ago we were in the habit of ploughing m the most of our wheat on smooth land; we used the common two-horse plough; but we became satisfied that some of the seed was covered too deep; the plough was given up, and the harrow has been used since. A few years since, I built me a three-cornered harrow, and, instead of teeth, I put in the common cultivator teelh, which I have used on my summer fallows and for covering my wheat; the last time in going over it, I go north and south. This leaves the land a little ridgy and protected from the cold nor'h-west winds, which are severe here in the month of March after the snow

is off; when the roller is used after the harrow, it has been more killed out; and when the soil is made very fine, it is more liable lo be winter killed. The common horse ploughs bury the seed too deep; the lately constructed quadruple plough answers very well' "

PROPER DEPTH OF SEED.

"As the result of some experiments respecting grain of different kinds—wheat, rye, barley and oats—in Germany, it is said that ' from two-thirds to three-fourths of the grain planis had their root stalk only one inch under ground, and exactly these produced the most stalks; one-fourih of them had their roots only 1| inch deep, and had only half as many stalks as the first; at 2 inches deep, there were only 4 in 100; and at 2^ inches deep, only 9 in 1,00U; but only one of them produced stalks, while in the first rye and wheat showed only 2f to 4} stalks.— Winter wheat at 1 inch gave 765 root-sialks out of 1,000 as remaining in the larih, of which 2^ produced stalks; at 1 to l^ inch, of ],L0O, gave 215 root-stalks, of which 2|- produced stalks; at 2 inches, only 17 root-stalks of 1,000, of which only I produced stalks. From this, it is clear that shallow sowing, if the seed is only so far covered as to -sprout, and the germ is protected from immediate contact with the air, is preferable to laying the seed deep, because it springs up quicker, and acquires a sti'onger growth, and has hardier plants.' 'The climate and period of sowing, as well as the weather, will of course be considered in determining the depth. The warmer', dryer, and especially the more windy the climate, the deeper (other things being equal) the seed must be laid. Wet and cold weather requires a shallow sowing; a dry and hot season a deeper bui^ying up of the seed.' 'A shallow sowing is one which covers up the seed only half an inch thick ; a modcralely deep sowing, 1^ inch thick; and if from 1-^ inch to 3 inches in depth, it is called deep soiuing.'' The choice of seed is ver}'important; and the remark may be repeated here, made in the last report, that the grain which is most suitable for nutritious bread, on account of containing the largest portion of gluten, is not ihe best for the seed. The neglect lo observe this may have sometimes contributed lo influence the crop. It is also well ascertained that grain threshed by threshing machines yields seed far less suitable, on account of its being broken, than that thi-eshed by the hand-flail. The amount thus obtained too from the sheaf is supposed lo be one-third less."*

RUST.

On this subject we have the following:

" The question as to the best methods of pre-

* The machines which induced this estimate must have been of a character very inferior to those used in this country.— Ed. Planter.

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

venting the diseases and attacks to which the wheat crop is exposed, is one of deep interest to the agricultural community ; and some suggestions on this subject may not be inappropriately subjoined to the account of this crop. The time when the field is struck with rust, seems to be just at the time of ripening. A remarkable fact on this subject is stated in a report to the New Jersey Agricultural Society.— An extraordinary field of wheat, supposed to be out of danger, on a hot day became drenched by a sudden shower, which came on between one and three o'clock, P. M. All was still; and on the passing away of the shower, the sun came out intensely hot. The owner went into his field to examine his wheat, which he found much pressed down by the shower: he immediately perceived a continued ticking, or snapping noise, in every direction. The straw was fine and bright; but, on examining it, he found it bursting in short slits one-quarter of an inch long, and the sap exuding from it. A day or two after, the whole field was darkened with rust, and the wheat nearly ruined. Another instance of the same kind is also related. The conclusion stated is—that the loss of the sap, running out and becoming dried on the straw, occasioned the rust.

" Mildew and rust are said to be more common now than before the Hessian fly made its appearance. 'Previous to that time, the wheat was sown the last of August and the first of September, tillered largely, obtained great strength of roots, and was but little injured by winter frosts; the effect of which was to produce strong bright straw, with but few leaves; the consequence of which is but little mildew and rust.'

"To avoid the fly, manuring high at seedtime and sowing late was resorted to. This was attended hy mildew and rust. Being sown so late, the plants had no time to tiller, or multiply and strengthen their roots and stalks; of course, the winter weakened and thinned the plants, which made the wheat still later in the season ; and, when highly manured, the straw was full of leaves, very succulent, usually mildewed, and almost rusted. ' The means of prevention are—first, a good dry, loamy soil, well prepared by cultivation, and not loo recently manured, that by cultivation there may be a good assimilation of manure to the soil: the more complete, the better. Cover the seed about two inches deep, either with drill or plough, that it may have good hold of the soil, and not be thrown out by winter frosts.' It is also said the French chemists, having witnessed the blighting of human food, have suggested the use of charcoal, to absorb the excess of the ammoniacal and other salts, which, taken with the plant in excess, during the warm showers, when the berry is growing, cause the stalk to burst open,

its juices to exude, and the seed to shrink. The result is stated to have been satisfactory. The mode of using the charcoal, as suggested, is by strewing it, well crushed, and as soon as possible, over the land ; and that it be well moistened with soft water, by means of a watering-cart. Ashes have likewise been recommended by Lie-big and others. Some suppose they, or some alkali, are necessary to dissolve the silicious substances, to furnish strength to the stalk. Liebig supposes it to furnish a silicate of potash—an important ingredient in the growth of wheat.— Some soils, peculiarly free from rust, it is said, are supplied with unusual quantities of potash. It has also been recomniended, as a means of securing a good crop, notwithstanding rust, when the plants appear thin on the ground, in the spring, to sow spring wheat among the fall wheat. This plan has been resorted to with good success in Canada.

"Bone manure is likewise mentioned as very useful for grain, as bone is said to contain imany valuable principles, such as fat, gelatine, carbonate and phosphate of lime. A striking experiment in confirmation of this is mentioned. The distinguished Eerzelius, in 1817, is said to have analyzed a soil which had yielded crops of grain, from time immemorial, without manure. It was found to contain small fragments of bone; and after it had been boiled a long time in water, afforded a solution which yielded a precipitate to the infusion of galls. From this result, he conjectured that the ground had once been a field of battle."

SMUT.

From amongst several expedients to prevent the wheat from smulHng, we copy the following which we know to be eflicacious:

"The wheat, after being thoroughly washed, to be soaked ten or twelve hours in salt water, as strong as it can be made. It is further said that no injury will result if it lies in the brine for several days, provided it be in a cool place. After thus soaking it, let it be limed. Another person recommends that the seeds, when placed in the brine, be stirred up thoroughly, so that the light seeds may rise to the surface, and be skimmed off"; afterwards, that the brine be drained into a tub, and the seed thinly spread on the floor, and sifted with quicklime, at the rate of one gallon to a bushel; and, after carefully stirring the lime through the seed a few times, it is allowed to remain a few hours, and then sown. The seed which underwent the perfect cleaning gave a return of pure wheat ; and that which was sown in its natural state was infected with smut, and had a mixture also of chess. In a Northumberland report on agriculture, it is stated that Mr. Culley, who grew annually from 400 to 600 acres of wheat, had

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209

but one insiance of smut in foriy years, and this was when the wheat was not steeped. Another experiment was iried on seed, in which were a few balls of smut—one-third being steeped in chamber lye, and limed ; one-third steeped in ihe same, and not limed ; and the remainder without steeping or liming ; and the result was, that the seed pickled and limed, and that pickled and not limed, were free from smut, but the other had smiuty ears in abundance. Another experiment was tried, by takmg a peck of very smuttj' wheat, of which one-half was sown in its n.itural state, the other half washed as clean as possible, in three waters, soaked two hours in brine strong enough to bear an egg, aivd dashed with lime: the result was, two-ihirds of the unwashed was smutty, but of the pickled and liuied seed there was a fidl crop, without a single ear of smut. A similar experiment, somewhat varied, is the following: Of four sacks of smutty wheat, one sack was soaked in strung brine only; one prepared with lime only; one was soaked in strong brine, and then lay in lime all niirht; and the fourth was sown with-out anything : the result was, where brine only I was used, now and then there was a smutty ear, but not many; where lime only was used, there was about the same quantity of smut; where lime and brine were used, not a single smutty ear could be found ; and where nothing was used, it was a mass of smut. In another experiment, however, mentioned in the Southern Planter, wheat salted at the rate of a quart of salt to a bushel succeeded efFeciually in preventing smut."

We are self-constituted agents for the

Val-

ley Farmer." What club of twenty will send us a ten dollar note for the Editor 1

THE VALLEY FARMER.

We welcome to our list of exchanges with fraternal affection this younger son of the Old Dominion. The Valley Farmer has just been ushered into existence at Winchester, Virginia, and is a very promising bantling of four pages, that promises to show his face to the world once every week, for fifty cents a year. This is our first acquaintance with Mr. Bentley, the Editor, but the manner in which his first number is gotten up is sufficient to inspire us with great confidence in his ability to fill the delicate, peculiar, and responsible station of Editor of an agricultural paper. We will lake the liberty of an elder brother to say to him, that if he will devote his columns to short practical statements, eschewmg all the long-winded essays that will be poketl upon hirn by learned farmers, that buy every thing and have nothing to sell, he will meet with a generous support, not only in the Valley, but in Eastern and Western Virginia too. Vol. IV.-27

STRAWBERRIES.

One of our correspondents a short time since wished us to publish something furiher on the strawberry culture. The following from the Farmers' Cabinet by S. IJ. Martin is beautifully condensed and explicit:

"I noticed a piece in a late number of your paper upon the cultivation of strawberries, in which the writer appears to doubt whether there are male and female plants. It is known to botanists that all the plants of sirawberries have both male and female organs upon each flower. But upon one plant the male organs will so predominate that it will rarely bear any fruit j this for practical purposes, 1 call the male plant. It is easily distinguished—is a larger, stronger plant; has larger and rougher flowers than the other; all the runners from it produce the same kmd of plants, with the like kind of flowers.— The male plant being stronger and not reduced by bearing, spreads rapidly over the ground and smothers the bearing plants, and the strawberry bed becomes barren. Where strawberry beds are mixed in this way, with barren and productive plants, it can certainly be told when th^ey are in bloom what parts of the bed will bear. Lcl those who would have productive straivbirnj beds, not neglect to set out a majuriiij of f^male plants, whatever may be said by botanists and horticulturists to the contrary. One male to a dozen females will be sufficient. Mr. Longworib, of Cincinnnti, I think, first called the sttention of the public to the above facts. I have known them for about twenty years, and have had productive beds. I have seen beds v\here a single female flower coi:ild not be found: and in the season for fruit, twenty strawberries could not be found upon a rod of ground. I had four different kinds of strawberries brouohi from your ci'y some years ago, and every plant of each kind was a male plant; consequently they have never produced any fruit, worth speaking of."

WHEAT.-RED MAY AND MEDITERRANEAN. Mr. W. B. Sydnor, of Hanover, resolved to test the value of these two rival u'heats. Accordingly he sowed two lots of about five acres each of equal quality and similar in every respect, the one with the Red May and the other with the Mediterranean. The former yielded seventeen and the latter twenty bushels'to the acre. Mr. Sydnor did not observe any superior invulnerability to the fly or rust upon the part of the Mediterranean. On the contrary, they

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were boih slightly afFecied by ihe fly as well as the rust. His next object was to ascertain the flour making qvialiiies of the two. For this purpose he sent to Mr. Govan's mill five bushels, by measurement, of each. The lied IMaj' weighed 317 lbs., the Mediierranean 308 lbs.— From the Red iVIay he received 199 lbs. of flour of I he first quality, and 28 lbs. second quality. From the Mediierranean he got 173 lbs. of the first and 32 lbs. of the seconrl quality.

From this statement it would appear ihat the five measured bushels of Red May, yielded 26 lbs. more of good flour than an equal quantity of Mediierranean—this at 2^ cents a poimd, would amount to 65 cents, or 13 cents a bushel. Against this we must offset the 4 lbs. excess of second qualiiy in favor of the Mediterranean, which jnay be worth 1^ cents a pound: this would leave a clear difl^erence in favor of the Red May of nearly twelve cents a bushel. But this, as Mr. Sydnor remarks, is the miller's and not the farmer's business. I'he Mediterranean is undoubtedly the most productive wheal, and as long as he can get the same price for it per bushel, he is determined to make it constitute a large portion of his crop.

From the American Agriculturist. CULTURE OF ASPARAGUS.

Since the Spanish meihod of cullivaiing asparagus by ihe seashore has become known in England, a complete change has taken place in the manner of growing it ihere, sail being added now in moderate quaniiiies to ihe manure used to enrich ihe beds; it is also spread broadcast upon ihem, at the raie of one lo three pounds per square yard, afier forking them over in ihe spring. This makes it much njore palatable and tender. The month of April in this climate, as soon afier the frost is well out of ihe ground, is ihe best lime to apply the salt dressing to ihe beds. A compost of horse manure, mixed with leaves and vegetable mould from ihe woods, together with a litile charcoal, is one of ihe besi manures we ever made use of for enriching the asparagus bed.

Visiiing Dr. King's fine farm at Perth Am-boy, last summpr, wc were walking wiih him one moinmii alonor its boundaries on ihe bay, when within a few yards of ihe waier on a slight ridge of sand, which was subject lo be wet by ihti sail spray, and inundaied by a high tide, Dr. King pointed out to us a natural aspa-rncrus bed ; and although il was late in ihe season fjr I'lis verreiahle, and most of ihis before us too much grown for good cuitings, upon our

mentioning lo him the Spanish meihod of cullivaiing it, he directed i^ome of ihis to be cut and cooked for dinner. To our surprise, notwiih-sianding it was so old, it proved very delicate and palatable, and completely saiif-fied us that its superior taste was owing lo the salt dressing it received fiom the sea water. Gardeners, in the interior of the country, will do well to try the experiment here recommended with salt; it will cost but a trifle, and do no harm if il produces no good. \'N e scarcely recollect eating delicate asparagus in the vallej' of the Ohio ; it was generally of large growih, tough, and bitter, and none that we ever tasted at the West, did we find to possess ihe peculiar flavor of that growing naturally at Dr. King's.

OUR FRIEjN'DS. We should be wanting in common courtesy if we did not thank our friends for their successful exertions to increase our subscription list.— The many kind and flattering expressions with which ihey have accompanied the lists sent in, have a hundred fold enhanced their value. One gentleman has sent us a list of twenty, another of eighteen, and so on, until altogether they have added about five hundred subscribers to our book, within the last sixty days. For this increase we know that we are solely indebted to the exertions of the best and kindest friends that ever came to the support of a pnper. We are now so arranging our domestic concerns as to enable us to spend the greater part of our time hereafier in the midst of those scenes it is our business to describe. The hospiialitj' of Virginia renders such a life a most agreeable, even if it should not prove a very profitable, one.

TREATMENT OF ANIMALS.

We give the following valuable suggestions on the authority of the celebrated Denton OfTuit, and recommend them lo the atienlion of gentlemen engaged in renring stock:

TO MAKE GENTLE COWS.

First halter ihem with a strong rope to a suitable place, then commence salting and feeding them from the hand. Afterwards rub ihem all over at different times, for three days, feeding and watering them three times a day. Do not feed them hiiih, but keep them alwa\s ready to receive food and water, l^ub ihem every linne you feed. Do not strike them one blow, as that will make them fearful; nor will cattle milk kindly that are beaten or rouizhly used.

The above tre;itment will n ake the worst cows gentle. A little attention to calves, when

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211

very young-, will make them ever afier manageable. He says, and we subscribe to the doctrine: "Remove fear and give confidence, to make gpiiile horses and cattle."

TO TRAIN A HORSE TO STAND FIRE-ARMS.

First flash the gun before the horse; then rub hiin in the face the way of the hair, and let him smell the powder; and repeal it until he becomes gentle. If very bad, put him in a sirong stall or pen, and fire before him and all around him, until he is free from fear.

So wiih an umbrella. Go to him with it shut; then rub him in the face with the umbrella, still at a lilile distance. ,Do this four or five times. Then get on him, raise it, and hold it as high as pos.-ible; ride him about uniil he is used to it—but not in wind or rain. Repeat this ihe next day, and by these means he will soon be safe.

TO BREAK A HORSE OR OX FROM THE HABIT OF LYING DOWN IN THE GEARS.

Tie him down with a rope, so that he cannot get up for ten hours. Then, when he gets up, work him for one hour. Give him water from your hand, and feed him, as ;his tends to make him like you—removing fear and restoring confidence.

If your horse has been "baulked," as it is termed, and ■will not pull, place him in a good team, and when on smooth ground, si op ihe leam, and, at the word, touch him up several times. In a short time he will pull kindly. If ihe horse has been whipped, be kind, and be stire not to touch him behind, but on ihe face and legs. JVIississi/ipi Valley Farmer.

ALMANAC OF THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST.

We have received from ihe Edilor, Mr. A. B. Allen, a copy of the American Agricultural Almanac for 1845. It is offered for 6^ cems single—$4 per hundred— $15 per thousand. In addiiion to the usual statistics, which are very full and complete, it contains a great variety of agricultural information making it emphatically ihe almanac for the farmer.

From the Farmers' Cabinet.

FOOD FOR CATTLE.

At this time, when the correct principles of farming and feeding, as arscerlained by chemical analysis, are a suVjject of general inquiry, I have thought the following arncle on '• Food for Cattle," would be interesting to the readers of the Cabinet. It appears to rne that a far crreaier value has been attached to some esculents containing a very large portion of water, such as

lurnips, beets, carrots, potatoes, &c., than they deserve; whilst oihers, in which the proporiions of organic maiter are verj' greai, sue h as jieas, beans, oais, bailey, wheai-bian, &c, have been too much neglected. It is quite contrary to the received opinion, that 100 lbs. of the skin of wheat,—bran—is as valuable for caiile food, as 100 lbs. of almost any article that can be given to them. But this may account for the observation that we have often heard niade, that "millers' horses and hogs are always fai,''as they are generally fed liberally on wheat offal.

J. L. Milverton, First 7nonth \2th, 1844.

Extract from Dr. Playfair's Leclure, delivered to the membeis of the Koyal Agriculiuial Society, in December last:

The food of cattle is of two kinds, azotized and unazoiized, vviih or without nitrogen. The following table gives the analjsis of \-arious kinds of food of cattle in their fresh state :

100 lbs. Peas,

100 lbs. Beans,

100 Ibj. Lentils,

100 lbs. Oats,

100 lbs. Oat-meal,

100 lbs. Barley-meal,

100 lbs. Hay,

100 lbs. Wheat-straw,

100 lbs. Turnips,

100 lbs. Swedes,

100 lbs. Mangold-wiirtzel,

100 lbs. White carrot,

100 lbs. Potatoes,

too lbs. Red beet,

100 lbs. Linseed-cake,

100 lbs. Bran,

A glance at this table would enable a person to estimate the value of the articles as dirt.— Thus every 100 tons of turnips contained 90 tons of water. But the value of inorganic niat-ters which these foods contained, clifTeTi-d. Thus Mr. Rham slates, that 100 pounds of hay were equal to 339 lbs. of u angold-wunzel. It would be seen that that quantity of hay contained 76 Ib.-i. of organic matter, whilst the mangold-wurt-zel contained only 34 lbs.

One result on feerling animals on foods containing much water is, that the water abstracts from the animal a large quantity of heat, for the purpose of bringinsr it up to the temperature of the body, and in this wa}' a loss of material took place. The mode proposed by Sir Flum-phrey Davj', of ascertaining the nutritive properties of plants, by mechanically separating the gluten, is unsusceptible of accuracy. The more accurate way is, to ascertain the quantity of nitrogen, which being multiplied by 6.2, will o-ive the quantity nf albumen contained in any given specimen of food.

The follow mar table shows the equivalent vti-lue of several kinds of food, with reference to

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the formal ion of muscle and fat, the albumen indicaiing the muscle-forming prmciple;

Albumen. Unazolizcd Matter. 100 lbs. Flesh, 25 0

U;0 lbs. Blood, 20 0

100 lbs. I^eas, 22 61^

100 lbs. Beans, 31 .52

100 lbs. Lenuls, 33 48

10 J lbs. Potatoes, 2 . 24^

100 lbs. Oats, 10^ 68

lOOlbs. Barley-meal, 14 68

100 lbs. Hay, 8 68^

100 lbs. Tuinips, 1 9

100 lbs. Carrois, 2 10

100 lbs. Red beet, 1^ 8J

The analyses in this table, are parlly the result of Dr. Playfdir's, and Boussingauli's analyses. The albumen series indicates the flesh-forming principles, and the unazolized series indicates the fat-forming principles. By comparing this table with the former, it will be seen which fouds contain not only the greatest quantity of organic matter, but what proportion of this organic matter is nutritive, and which is faiieiiing, or that which furnishes combustible material. In cold weather, these foods be given which contain the larger proportion of unazo-tized matters, in order to sustain the heat of the body. Thus it will be seen, that potatoes are good for fattening, but bad for fleshening. Linseed cake contains a great deal of fattening matter, and but little nutritive matter; hence barley-meal, which contains a good deal of albumen, may be advaniageously mixed with it. Dumas, a French chemist, states that the principles of fat exist in vegetables, as in hay and maize; and that, like albumen, it is deposited in the tissues unchanged. But Liebig regards fat as transformed sugar, starch, gum, &c., which has undergone a change in the process of digestion. 'I'his is why linseed cake is fattening; all the oil is squeezed out of the seed, but the seed-coat—which contains a great deal of gtJin and the staich of the seed — is left, and these are fattening principles.

The oxygen, iniroduceil by respiration into the lungs, is destined for the destruction of carbonaceous matter; but there is a provision made for taking it into the stomach with the food, and this is done by the saliva. The saliva is always full of bubbles, which are air bubbles, and carry the oxygen of the atmosphere into the stomach with the food. The olijeci of rumination in animals, is the more perfect nnixing of ihe food with the oxygen of the air. This is why chaff should not be cut so short for ruminating, as for non-ruminating animals, as the shorter the chaff is, the less it is ruminated, and the less oxygen it gets.— J\lark Lane Express.

with the point of a sharp needle. The disease will not pass the; line, if ilie ^km is thus nu.

Selected.

SEED WHEAT.

We received last year from the Patent Office a variety of seeds, which we distributed amongst our friends. Mr. George Woodfin got a paper of v;heat, marked " Kloss' White Blue Stem," and he brought us a few (.ays s nee a sanple of the product. It is certainly one of the largest, whitest, and plumpest grains we ever saw. Mr. Woodfin considers it much more productive than the Red May, which he sowed at the same time, it being mclined to tiller more, and the head being longer and fuller. Mr. Woodfin is very desirous to procure several bushels of the seed, and through the politeness of the Agent at the Patent Olfice (in the absence of Mr. Ellsworth) we have probaLly put him on the track of obtaining it.

The sample at the office is for distribution.

Ring Worim may be, in most cases, simply cured by scratching around the outer surface

CHICKEN MANUFACTORY.

Nature is getting superfluous. We rather think she will soon be voted out of fashion and dispensed with. I'here is a chap just over our publication office hatching chickens in a big box, fifty a daj', having a thousand eggs always doing. 'J'he trouble of att^■ndlng them is slight, the heat costs very little, and the chickens crack their several shells and walk up lo their dough and wafer like wood-choppers to dinner or sailors to their grog. They are clean, strong and lively, grow fust and rarely die, (not being dragged through the grass;) and whoever has a hatching machine can have "spring chickens"' every week in the year, and at small expense. If we could only invent a machine to lay eggs now, hens would be done with.— New York Tribune.

AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITION.

Great preparations are making for the exhibition of the New York State Agricultuial Society, which is to be held at Poughkeepsie, on the 18th of September next. Of all the exhibitions that we have ever witnessed, in the North or the South, none begin to compare with those of the New York Society. It seems to be understood that the one to be held this fall is to eclipse all its predecessors.

We would sinci-rely recommend any farmer who can spare the time and the means, to visit

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213

this exhibition. In addiiion to the pleasure lo be derived from such a trip, he must be a very great man or a ver}' sorry one, if the information he obtains, does not infinitely outbalance

stermboais from Richn ond in le?s than three days, at an expense of twenty dollars. For the kindness and hospitality' of the inanag-prs of the exhibition we will answer with onr life. If any

the expense incurred. Ponghkeepsie is only a i farmer from Virginia wants to go, let him come half day's travel from New York, and may be i to us, and we will give him a letter to a gentle-reached by a continued line of rail cars and i man that will lake care of him, certain.

For the Sou:hern Planter. APPARATUS FOR RAISING WATER.

A. The pump.

B. Watei box.

C. Box for weight.

D. Lever eighteen or twenty feet long.

E. Fulcrum.

F. Pin to run in the valve. H. Piston rod.

G. Spoul to conduct the water into the box.

Washington, Augut 3, 1844.

Mr. Editor,—If farmers would calculate the value of labor expended in "sending to the sprmg"—sometimes a quarter of a mde distant from the house—and reflect hov/ much suffering there ma}' be in the aniinal and vegetable kingdom for want of a full supply of luater, they would be the better able lo estimate the value of any contrivance which should give them a perpetual flow of that important element of life at the door of their kitchen and barn-jard.

In connection wiih this subject it may be that you will find the accornp-anying letter from Mr. Betnent worthy of publication and it is accordingly placed at your service.

Very respectfully, J. S. S.

T/iree Hills Farm, near Albany, | August, 1844. 5

J. S. Skinner, Esq.

Dear Sir, —Your favor of the 11th instant reached me this morning, and 1 embrace the first leisure moment lo reply ; and it will afford me gi-eat pleasure if I can be of any service to you in any way, and I feel gratified that you have given mean opportinity of manifesting it. There was no necessity for making any excuse for addressing me on any subject relating to agriculture—it is my delight to be useful, and to aid, if possible, my CO laborers as well as those who have been the pioneers in the good and glorious cause.

As regards the "little contrivance for supply-inof myself with water at my house and barn," of which you desire a description, 1 woultl beg leave to refer you to the 8ih volume and 167ih page of the "Cnliivator" for a description of iTjine, headed " Hydraulics for Farmers." Fearing, however, that you may not have that paper at hand I will describe it again.

V^ hen I purchased my farm I was not unmindful of the necessity and convenience of a

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

good supply of water. Through the centre of my farm, meamlers a small, though never-failing stream, called "Crummy Kdl," (m English Crooked Creek,) winding its way in a valley, watering eight lois, but laying so low it was of linle use wiih the excepiion of furnishing stock when at pasture. My house stands fifty-two feet above the level of ihis stream, and noiwith-sianding I had three wells and a good cistern near my house and in the cattle yard, still 1 fancied that a luxurious flowing stream of pure, soft water near my house, would add much to the safely, comfort, cleanliness and health of the inmates, as well as the stock in my yards. 1, therefore, conceived the idea of turning this idle stream to some account, and erected a simple apparatus, by which means I made it pour its necessary share at the door; a libation of neatness, temperance, industry and economy. In order to accomplish the desired object it was necessary to throw a dam across the ravine, in a narrow part to raise the water for a sufficient head to carry a small overshot water-wheel.— The dam now is about 150 feet long, and from 20 to 22 feet broad, made of earth and raised ten feet above the bed of the stream, and makes a good road from one pait of the farm to the other, and can be passed with the heaviest loads, which of itself is worth the expense. The water is conveyed under and across this dain in a trunk, and raised to the' level of the pond in a pentsiock, from which it is conveyed on to the w^heel. In order to secure it against freshes it was necessary to make a waste-way of sufficient size to carry off all surplus water.

Now, in this cold climate it was necessary to secure the pump and wheel from the frost; to do which, as I have no stone on the farm, I built a log cellar, (not a log cabin,) sufficiently large to place a wheel six feet in diameter with buckets eighteen inches long. A wheel of this size is unnecessary to work a small forcing pump, unless the supply of water is very small. One four feet in diameter and buckets ten or twelve inches long and four inches deep, would be sufficient to force two thousand gallons of water per day fifty to sixty feet high and any distance laterally. On the shaft of my wheel is an ex-centric, (a crank woulil be more simple, cost less, and work belter)—which by means of a pitman, gives motion to the working-beam, to one end of which the piston rod of the pump is attached. The object of this working beam is to give as little lateral or vibrating motion to the piston rod as possible. The pump is a double action, two inches in diameter, and has a six inch stroke—it sits on a small cistern which is supplied with water from the pentstock. The water is conducted to the house through pine logs, eight to ten inches in diameter and the bore one and a quarter inch—leaden lube of one inch diameter would be belter.

The water is discharged into a reservoir or cistern, standing above ground, near m}' house, and holds 1,10U gallons, frotn which the surplus water is conveyed in one direction to my poultry yard—in another to my piggery, cattle and sheep yards—frotn thence passing off into a lot where there was no water. From the cisiein the house and horse stable are supplied.

On the shaft of rny water-wheel 1 put a cogwheel 34 inches diameter working into a pinion-wheel 7 inches in diameter—on the shaft of which is a drum or pulley 3 feet in diamieter,— From this drum I band off to a pulley on a shaft placed in the building over the cellar where the wheel is. 'J'his shaft runs lengihwise of the building on which are placed pulleys of different sizes, to give different velocities to different machines—such as a circular saw, a grindstone, a mill to grind feed for my stock, &c. &c. Either of the above named machines can be carried by my wheel, and all the water required is let in through a six inch square tube with little or no pressure.

r. is surprising how small a quant it}' of water when there is a head and properly applied, it requires to force water 50, 60 or even 100 feet high. An overshot wheel 8 feet in diameter and buckets as many inches long—4 inches deep, with what water would pass through a 2 inch tube would, I think, be sufficient to work a pump 2 inches in diameter and throw up 50 or 60 feet high from 12 to 1600 gallons per day.

You say you "have heard of a trough being somehow used to lift a pump." 1 will endeavor to describe one I saw at the farm of Mr. S. Worth in Chester county, Pennsylvania.

In the meadow near his house passed a small stream of water, and without the appearance of any head or fall. Over this creek or brook he erected a long, narrow building, and excavated a cellar about fout feet deep and walleil it with stone. About thirty or forty feet from the bank of the creek was a pure, limpid spring of water gushing up into a curb which he had placed there. Now, with a very simple contrivance the water from this spring was forced up to his house, which stood twenty-five feet above the level of the stream. It is pretty faithfully represented in the engraving above.

The pump A, is two inches in diameter and six inches long, made of cast iron, siiuilar to those used for steam engines for forcing water into the boiler. The box C, on one end of the lever, is filled with stones sufficient to raise the end of the lever after the water has been discharged, which is done by falling on to the pin F, which opens the valve in the bottom of the box, as shown by the dotted line. The lever then rises to its level, raising the piston and filling the pump— the box is then filled again with water fi-om the spout G, which is sufficient to overpower the weight of stones and the resistance

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER.

215

of the pump. It makes from ten to twelve strokes per minute, ihrowing up neuilj a pint at each stroke.

As soon as the box B is filled with water it immediately descends umil the bottom strikes the pm F, which lifts a valve or clapper in the boiiom of the box B, and lets out the water at once, and so on iiliernaiely.

This apparatus may be varied by raising' the lever, and siispendmg the water-box B, which would give less vibration to the piston, and do an-ay the necessity of guides. But after all, I think I should prefer the wheel even where the head was not more than four feet, it lakes up less room and the motion quicker.

For further particulars I would refer you to pages 47 and 174, Vol. 7, and 167 of Vol. 8, of the Cultivator. You will also find in Gregory's " Dictionary of Arts and Sciences," under the head of " Hydraulics," a simple lever apparatus for raising water.

The pumps like the one I have in use are made at Troy, at a cost of about thirty dollars, which I can procure and forward to you if you wish it. You will probably find a model and specification at the Patent Office. It is " Farn-harn's Double Action Forcing Pump." Truly, 3'ours,

Caleb N. Bement.

For the Southern Planter.

HENRICO AGRICULTURAL AND HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY,

Will commence its fall exhibition, in the cily of Richmond, on Wednesday, the 16ih of October next, opening at 11 o'clock, when the following premiums are offered:

ON DOMESTIC MANUFACTURES.

For the neatest and most substantial counterpane, the production of the exhibit or, $5 00 Do. do. mattresses, 5 CO Do. do. comfort, 6 00 Do. do. bedquih, 5 GO Do. do. carpet, not less than 10 yds. 5 00 Do. do. hearth rug, 5 00 Do. do. stockings or socks, for each

specimen wor'hy premium, 2 00

Commiilee of Axuard —Efford B. Bentley, R. H. Jenkins and Charles Ellis.

MECHANIC ARTS.

Jarnes Bosher, Jacob F. Barnes, Samuel D. Denoon and William Mitchell, Jr., are appointed a committee to procure the exhibition of specimens of the mechanic arts of Richmond and Henrico; and the sum of seventy-five dollars is pl'iced at their disposal to be awarded in premiums upon such specimens as they may deem worthy. A special report from this committee

CO 00 (.0 00

is requested, with their opinion as to the proper ariangemeni of this department.

AGRICUILTURE AND HORTICULTURE.

For the best specimen of rare and beautiful shrubs, plants and flowers, the

production of exhibitor, $10 00

For the second, 6 00

For the third, 4 00

Committee of Award —Thomas Rilchie, James M. Wickham and Gustavus A. Myers. For the best specimen of fruits, For the best specimen of dried fruits, For the best orchard of peaches. For the best orchard of apples.

Committee of Aivard —John Carter, Joseph Sinton and John B. Young. For the best crop of wheat, not less than

five acres, $10 00

For the best crop of grass, do. 10 CO

For the best crop of oats, do. 5 00

Committee of Aicard —George Taylor, Dr. Garnett and \ViHiam Miller. For the best crop of Rula Baga turnips,

not less than half an acre. For the best crop of white itn'nips, do. For the best crop of cabbages, do.

For the best crop of beels, do.

For the best crop of sweet potatoes, do. For the best crop of Irish potatoes, do. For the best crop of carrots, do.

For the best crop of parsnips, do.

Committee cf Award —Ro. Carter Page, Thos. Gordon and Corbin Burton. For the best crop of pumpkins, not less

than one acre, $5 GO

For the best crop of corn, not less than

five acres, 10 CO

Committee of Award —Dr. Gaines, E. B. Sel-den and Sherwin McRae.

Where crops are loo distant to be exainined by committees, the proprietors are authorized to call on two or inore riisinlerested freeholders to ascertain accurately, by weight or measurement, the produce per acre, and certify the same under their hands, to the Executive CoiTimiilee.

Specimens of all crops enlcTed for premium, are required to be deposited with the Committee of Arrangement in time for the exhibition, otherwise no prerniuiu will be paid.

Committees on Farm Crops are rcqired, in all cases, to ascertain, by weight or measure, the actual product per acre, of such crops.

Successful compelitors in farm crops are required, before receiving their premiums, to hand to the Secretary a detailed account of iheir crops, embracing the preparation of the land, quality of soil, lime of planting, mode of culture, together with any other information ihey can supply, as to the rearing and value of such crops.

Farm Committee —William H. Richardson, Charles Marx and Chas. B. Williams, to make