690 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



[Na. II 



per annum, corn being supposed to sell at $1 per 

 bushel. In affording this profit, he would only 

 work at the crop three or four months, all the rest 

 of the year, he might be employed in marling other 

 lands. 



So many laborers have been taken off from the 

 cultivation of provisions in the United States, to 

 become the consumers of provisions, while labor- 

 ing in the construction of Rail-Roads and other 

 public works, that provisions cannot be otherwise 

 than dear, for many years to come. The planter 

 who most successfully cultivates provisions, will 

 therefore be best rewarded, while cotton is at the 

 present moderate rates. 



But, gentlemen, there are other considerations 

 of great importance to most of us. Most of us 

 have children, relatives and Iriends, who have 

 left the state and gone westwardly, to seek for 

 new lands. Many more, distinguished for talents 

 and enterprise and public spirit, may be expected 

 to follow, unless something can be done at home 

 to afford them profitable occupation. The rank of 

 South-Carolina among her sister states, will be 

 diminished in proportion to her diminished popula- 

 tion and productions. I trust that something may 

 yet be done, not only to arrest this emigration, and 

 render agriculture more profitable, but to render 

 the number of persons engaged in agriculture, 

 much more numerous than has ever been known, 

 at least in the middle and lower portions of the 

 state. Are notthemost of you, gentlemen, owners 

 of uncultivated lands in this portion of the slate, 

 for which there has hitherto been no demand, nor 

 any prospect of their being wanted, for cultiva- 

 tion 1 If by the successful use of marl and shells, 

 the old fields in their vicinity can be increased in 

 their productions, flom 10 to 30 bushels per acre, 

 would not the value of such lands be increased in 

 proportion, and would not you, the proprietors, find 

 your property doubled in value by the discovery"? 

 Would not all other lands in the vicinity of the 

 marl and shells, althoutrh never settled, be im- 

 proved in proportion with the old fields, and will 

 not the proprietors reap the benefit, whatever that 

 may hel 



if you can make it appear to a farmer that he 

 can live with his family in a pine land settlement, 

 enjoying health and every other comfort in life, 

 while he can lay up $400 or ^500 per annum, 

 from the work of everj' one of his family who can 

 plough a neighboring field; are not such men likely 

 to become setlters on these vacant lands, and in- 

 crease their value? Are they not more likely to 

 eettle on these lands, when they ascertain that 

 they may cultivate both a winter and a summer 

 crop in the same year? If these advantages be 

 made known in Europe, are not the skilful experi- 

 enced peasantry in the north of Italy, in Switz- 

 erland, Germany, Holland, Poland, and other parts 

 of Europe, likely to collect in this part of our state, 

 and form a population of hardy yeomen, who 

 would quiet all apprehensions of a domestic na- 

 ture? With such prospects and probabilities, is 

 it not worth our while, to set on foot a series of 

 experiments, for the purpose of ascertaining how 

 far the marl and shells found in South-Carolina, 

 may be made to increase the agricultural pro- 

 ductions of the country? 



Lime and marl are the most durable of all ma- 

 nures ; but the latter, in particular, requires about 

 three years to perfect its influence over the land. 



It will therefore be necessary to continue the ex- 

 periment at least three years in succession; it may 

 also be expedient to manure and cultivate a new 

 piece of adjacent ground each year, by way of 

 testing what had preceded. 



With much deference, I propose that your soci- 

 ety ofler a premium for the best series of experi- 

 ments with marl found in South-Carolina, on a 

 stated quantity of sandy land, and continued three 

 years — the quantity of marl applied to each acre, 

 and the productions of each acre being distinctly 

 reported tothesociety, with any other circumstance 

 deemed important by you. 



The same premium for the same experiments 

 on clay land. 



The same premium for the same experiments 

 with unburnt, pulverized or mouldering shells, or 

 loose limestone, both on sandy and clay lands. 



The same premium for the same experiments 

 with lime burnt from shells, or from loose lime- 

 stone, both on sandy and clay lands. 



I beg leave to submit these suggestions for the 

 consideration of the Agricultural Society, subject, 

 of course, to any amendments or alterations that 

 they may think expedient. Their greater know- 

 ledge and experience must dictate. 



I am, very respectfully, 



Your most obedient servant, 

 Jos. Johnson. 

 7'o the President and Members of the Agricultu- 

 ral Society. 



From the Southern Agiiculturist. 

 GRASSES, ETC. FOR SHEEP. 



3Ir. Editor. — As your valuable work is open- 

 to all subjects connected with the husbandry of 

 our country, and more particularly this southern 

 portion of it, I beg leave to occupy a small space. 

 The growing of wool does not much interest us 

 at present, but the time is coming when it may be 

 necessary lor us to make every edge cut. Whe- 

 ther so or not, there are always among us those 

 who are found of good and sound mutton, and 

 many who are deterred from raising sheep by fear 

 of the rot, and other disorders. My experience 

 may remove a portion of that fear. I take no 

 more than ordinary care of mine in winter, but I 

 observe in the pine barren where they pasture, a 

 species of creeping pepper grass of which they 

 are very fond. It comes up early in February, 

 and dies inthesummer. The stimulating warmth 

 of this food, preserves them in health, and keeps 

 them free of the rot, and other diseases so fatal to 

 sheep, in cold rainy seasons. Those who have the 

 pepper grass, and desire to raise sheep, should en- 

 courage the growth of it. There are other plants 

 and grasses, which being pungent, will answer 

 eqally well, and of which sheep are fond. Among 

 them are mint, penny-royal, and parsley. Satis- 

 fied with my spontaneous growth of pepper 

 grass, I have not cultivated either of the last men- 

 tioned aromatics, but I think their having a good 

 effect on sheep cannot be doubted. 1 would ad- 

 vise cultivation of the pepper grass however, in 

 preference, but only because it is more proper 

 and natural to recommend more highly what I 

 knoiv, than what I only believe, no matter how 

 confidently. It is certain however that sheep take 



