3,64 FARMER'S ASSISTANT. 



At present, however, when lands must soon be rapidly 

 rising, he who expects to be the gainer, by exhausting his 

 lands, will find himself much mistaken. The sun never 

 shone on an acre of land that was too fertile for the most 

 profitable cultivation. Commonly, even new lands are much 

 too poor to afford the greatest profits. Instead, therefore^ 

 of wearing out new lands, it should ever be the aim of the 

 Planter to increase their fertility. 



By the extensive culture of the Guinea-grass (see GUI- 

 NEA GRASS) in the Southern States, cattle may be raised in 

 myriads, and with great profit; so that there need be no 

 want of manure for the lands, and lands certainly cannot be 

 made too rich for growing the cane. 



We would therefore advise the Planters of that Countrf 

 to beware of exhausting their lands in the culture of this 

 plant, or any other ; but to turn much of their attention to 

 raising cattle, by means of the powerful aid just mentioned; 

 and this will afford the requisite manure to keep the lands 

 in the highest degree of fertility, and of course afford the 

 greatest profit; so that one acre may yield more clear gain, 

 than is commonly derived from four, in the usual culture of 

 cane in impoverished lands. 



SUNFLOWER (Helianthus.) It is found, ihat the 

 seeds of this plant afford an oil equal to that of the olive- 

 tree; and it is said, that seventy bushels of this seed may 

 be raised from an acre. The plant will grow in almost \ny 

 soil that is sufficiently strong. The seeds are good for 

 feeding poultry, during the Winter season. 



From a bushel of this seed, says the Editor of < The 

 Watchman, a gallon of oil, as fine as that which we import 

 from Florence, may be obtained at any time, quite soft, 

 bland, and fresh ; and the mass that remains, after pressing 

 out the oil, is of excelent use to feed hogs, poultry, &c. He 

 further observes, that the Inhabitants of unwholsome places 

 should be diligent in cultivating this plant, on account of 

 the vast quantity of oxygene gas which it produces; it 

 having been proved, that near twenty times as much of this 

 gas is produced in twenty-four hours by one plant, in light 

 and clear weather, as a Man respires, in an impure atmos- 

 phere, in that space of time. 



The Editor of the * E?n/wrium of Arts* has also noticed 

 this native American plant, at considerable length ; and 

 suggests, with others, who have made trials of it in Eng- 

 land, other valuable uses to which it may be applied; such 

 as the fibres of the bark or skin, as a substitute for hemp; 

 tUe stalks, when green, for the purpose of wattling, &c. and 

 when dried, as an article ot fuel; an acre yielding from 

 three to nine wagon loads j the pith as affording good tin* 



