FARMERS' REGISTER. 



191 



The Milanese square land measure pertica, 

 (perch,) is the one used by Daiidolo, and in va- 

 rious passages of his estimates. This nn^asure 

 (nccoriliii!^ to the table of Dandolo) is ofa hcclare 

 0.065452 ; or is equal to 782.6035 English square 

 yards, or between one-sixth and one-fifih of an 

 English acre. The value of this measure is given 

 in the English translation in three very ditlerent 

 quantities, and all of them wrong. At page 287 

 of the translation, the pertica ofthe original is made 

 " acre" ; at page 358, the same quantity and de- 

 nomination is given as only ten square feet, 

 and in several other places, the pertica is simply 

 rendered as "perch" in English, which is equal 

 to 30;^ square yards. 



At page 352 ofthe tran.'^lation " the 2928 square 

 feet" named, according to the original should have 

 been "2928 square braccia," or nearly (our times 

 the extent in square measure. 



The Milanese coin lira of the original (the mo- 

 ney value always used) is in most cases slated 

 as '''franc'''' by the translator, though other 

 money values are stated by the lira, as in the ori- 

 ginal. Yet so far from these values being equal, 

 the lira is very little more than three-lburlhs of 

 the /r«nc. 



Such are the elements of the long and elaborate 

 (and originally valuable) estimates of cost and 

 product of silU-cullure, as presented by the trans- 

 lators of Dandolo !— Ed. F. R. 



nearly worn out by repeated crops of cotton, was 

 planted in oats. In ijie autumn of that year, the 

 stubble was listed in, together with a considerable 

 jjfrowih ol" weeds, which iiad succeeded the oats. 

 The list was ploughed over, and kejjt l()r a fort- 

 night nearly covered with brackish water. The 

 land was bedded as usual and produced a very 

 fine crop. 



I am disposed to aitribute the success of the 

 experiment mainly to the flowing, because, though 

 the whole treatment was such as to warrant an 

 expectation of improved production, it was scarce- 

 ly sufficient to account lor a growth equal to that 

 on perlectiy new land, which was the case in the 

 present instance. Salt has been used with success 

 lor manuring coiton, and I see no reason why a 

 moderate flow of salt water should not have the 

 same efi'ect. Yours, with respect, 



A CORRESPONDEKT. 



COKRECTION OF ERRATA. 



In the communication of John A. Selden, esq. 

 in the January number, the Ibliowing typographi- 

 cal errors, all in paire 3, need correction. 



Column 1, line 2 from bottom, for " lime my corn 

 crop," read " house my corn crop." 



Column 2, line 27 from top, for "insufficient," 

 read " inefficient." 



Column 2, line 13 from bottom, the words "this 

 corn" should be transposed, so thai the passage 

 shall be read, "I lost corn this season," &c. 



Column 2, line 10 from bottom, lor ^'successful 

 spring cultivations" read "successive,'" Sac. 



Column 2, line 9 from bottom, the words "and 

 is" should be omitted. 



IMPROVEMENT OF COTTON LANDS BY FLOW- 

 ING WITH BRACKISH WATER. 



Charleston, 19th February, 1840. 



From the Soutliern Cabinet. 



Dear Sir, — In compliance with your request, I 

 have taken some pains to possess myself ofthe 

 facts connected with the experiment of flowing 

 cotton lands with salt or brackish water. They 

 are as follows : — 



la 1838, some marsh land, which had been 



TO THAW FROZEN PUMPS. 



To llie Editor of tlie Farmers' Register. 



Jackson, Ten., Feb. 29th, 1840. 

 1 noticed, in the January number of the Register, 

 that a person, who signs himself " Mountaineer," 

 inqiiires "how the Ireezing of pumps can be ob- 

 viated ?" If he will put into the pump a quantity 

 of salt — if the weather be not as low as zero — it 

 will soon dissolve the ice. Brine will not freeze 

 until the weather is at zero ; hence the solution of 

 the ice by the salt when above that point of tem- 

 perature. Mechanic; 



From the Southern Cultivator, 

 We have been requested to give what we know 

 and could collect from others on the culture of mil- 

 let — with which we comply cheerfully. Millet is 

 the most productive crop perhaps that can be put 

 in the ground, and yields grain and hay of excel- 

 lent quality. In some instances it has been sup- 

 posed to yield four tons of hay per acre when cut 

 and cured ; and stock devour it with greediness — 

 its value consists not only in the blades, but in the 

 stalks, which are frequently four and five feet long, 

 very succulent, and are eaten entirely up by stock. 

 Henry Turney, esq. of Maury, is Itimiliar with 

 its growth and culture — he considers it a valuable 

 article for provender, and thinks it best to sow it 

 about the middle of May ; others sow the first of 

 April. This may be left at the option ofthe culti- 

 vator. Tolerable fresh land and strong is best 

 suited to its growth. The ground should be well 

 ploughed and harrowed, the seed sown and then 

 harrowed in, and left in a smooth condition, in 

 order to facilitate the cutting, as millet is a crop 

 that has to be mowed. A peck of seed is some- 

 times sown to an acre — though a gallon per acre 

 we think is most common. It has been remarked 

 by many, that nearly every kind of fowls delight to 

 leed on the grain of millet, and of course must fat- 

 ten on it. It would be valuable no doubt, for all 

 kinds of stock, and recommends itself to the atten- 

 tion of farmers. 



