iributcd over the land as in any other part of the 

 United States, tliere was, in lt^-2-2. not one plow 

 or scythe — the largest plantations had not more 

 than two or three carts, arid tlic utility of oxen, 

 in prantice, was absolutely unknown. Now, a 

 cart and mule, or a yoke of oxen, to every six 

 workers, is common ; labor-saving machines 

 abound; and every acre of cotton, and generally 

 of provisions, is provided with, what at least is 

 sujiposcd to be. aproper quantity of appropriate 

 pabulum. This salutary reformation in the hus- 

 bandry of this small section of the State, was 

 efl'ectod mainly by the establishment of an Agri- 

 cultural Society in the year just alluded to. All 

 that has been said in reference to Edisto, is ap- 

 plicable to most of the Sea-lsland.s, and, in a 

 more limited sense, to a majority of the Parishes. 



The first person in South Carolina who di- 

 rected the planters' attention to the subject of 

 manures, was Col. Thomas Shubrick. In a se- 

 ries of essays, published about the .year 1800, he 

 recommended the drifted wreck that is thrown 

 up by the tides. From its use, perhaps improp- 

 erly employed, no essential benefit was deriv- 

 ed, but it accomplished the object of creating re- 

 flection and a free interchange of views among 

 those who were most likely to lend their aid in 

 furihering the design of this patriotic citizen. 

 From that time, ephemeral communications on 

 the proper food of plants, and its kindred ques- 

 tions, occasionally met the public eye. How- 

 ever liberal were the contributions of the Ag- 

 ricultural Society of South Carolina te^iis branch 

 of agricultiu'al improvement, it is certain that 

 the almost simultaneous movement made by a 

 large portion of our planting interest, concern- 

 ing tiio renovation of land by animal and vege- 

 table matter, is unquestionably to be ascribed to 

 the writings of " Arator " by John Taylor of 

 Virginia. The letters over that signature origi- 

 nally appeared in a newspaper. In pamphlet 

 form they were circulated in this State in 1808. 

 The number of subjects discu.ssed ; the impor- 

 tant facts developed ; the well-digested reason- 

 ing in support of the practices recommended for 

 adoption ; added to the high and intelligent 

 source ^vhence the essaj-s originated — all con- 

 c«n-ed to render " Arator" an instructive and 

 popular treatise. The advice of the writer on 

 .several points \vas not only promptly followed, 

 but to tills day many of his propositions are con- 

 sidered agrictiltural axioms. In relation to this 

 State, it was not until about 182.'J that manuring 

 may be said lo have been systematized. By the 

 force of circumstances, the sea-board set the ex- 

 ample,* which though strongly urged by the 

 slender returns of their fields, is still apparently 

 unheeded by many of the Parishes and districts. 



Of all the fertilizing materials for the black 

 seed cotton, marsh mud is held in the highest 

 estimation; not for the reason of its abiaidance 

 and contiguity to plantations, but because if the 

 proper kinds t be judiciously u.sed, it is the most 

 proKtable and certain in its results. It contains 

 more nutritive and other valuable properties 

 than any other natural compound,! and is .spec- 

 ially adapted to light sandy soils. 



Salt mud, as a garden manure, was employed 

 in South Carolina in 1801. Judge William John- 



' In ISCJ. neaiiy all the materials now used as ma- 

 nure, were then tmiiloyedon the Sea-lElands, though 

 in a very limited way. 



t That on which the tall marsh glows is greatly to 

 be prefeiTed to all other kinds. 



t See Note C. iu the Appendix for the analysis of K. 



son states, that in that year he commenced his 

 experiments with it, and after repeated trials, 

 arrived at the conclusion that it was a great me- 

 liorating agent.* It is said, that as far back as 

 1797, the late Gen. Vanderhorst was practically 

 acquainted with its value.t The merit of its 

 discovery, however, as a fertilizer for cotton 

 lands, .seems to be. due to the late James King 

 of St. Paul's Parish, By him it was freely used 

 before the late war with Great Britain, t 



Until within a few months, the agriculturist 

 of South Carolina was ignorant practically, and 

 it might be added theoreticallj-, of the efficacy 

 of calcareous manures. It is true that lime as an 

 improver of the soil has been long known to a 

 few of our cotton planters. In 1800, and again 

 in 1803, it was used by Kinsey Burden, then of 

 St. Paul's Parish. Though his efforts with a 

 new enriching ingredient were attended with 

 the most signal success, it does not appear that 

 the same gentleman ever afterwards resorted to 

 it. A new era fortunately has commenced, and 

 before another year has passed, lime and marl^ 

 will be the most common, and the most exten- 

 sively employed, of all the natural means for re- 

 suscitating exhausted lands. To Edmund Euf- 

 fin of Virginia, late editor of the Farmer's Reg- 

 ister, and now by the authority of the Legisla- 

 ture Agricultural Surveyor of South Carolina, || 

 all the benefit which shall accrue to individuals 

 and the community by their application will have 

 to be ascribed. His discoveries show, that marl 

 exists in inexhaustible quantities throughout the 

 lower country, and that calcareous matter in 

 some form is widely distributed over the State. 



Without an acquaintance with the component 

 parts of soils, and our great staple crop, the ap- 

 propriate pabulum to the one for the support of 

 the other, it is manifest, cannot understandingly 

 be applied. The first eftbrt in this State, ema- 

 nating from a public bod}-, to obtain light on one 

 of these interesting topics, was made by the Ag- 

 ricultural Society of St. John's Colleton. 



^^ We had intended to conclude this article in 

 this number, but owing to the length of other articles 

 that demand immediate publication by us, we aie 

 compelled to postpone a portion of it until our next 

 number. [Ed. Farm. Lib. 



*SouthciTi Agiiculturist, vol. ii. p. 48.3. 



ilbid, p. 547. ~ 



Jlbid. p. 399. 



^The antiquity and advantages of marling may be 

 gathered from the following passage, which occurs in 

 Fitzhcrbeit's treatise entitled .^tirvrying, tirst prinled 

 in 1539. Speaking of the improvement of bushy and 

 mossy gi'ound, he says : And if there be any marie 

 pyttes that have been made of old time within the 

 said close, than when the landes begyn to weare, if 

 he have not sufficient of such bu.?liy and mossy 

 grounde to breake up and sowe, than there would be 

 newe marie {)yttcs made, and the landes new marled, 

 the which is moche belter than outhcr donge. mock 

 or lyme, for it will last twenty yeres togfMht'r, if it be 

 welie done, and shall be the better while it is land. 

 And I marvayle gieatly, that in the common felde, 

 where of old tynte liath been made many great marie 

 pyttes, the which hath done niochc good to the 

 landee, that nowe a dayes no man doth occujjye them 

 ne make none other, and they nede not to doute, but 

 there is marie now as well as was then. 



||Mr. Ruflin was appointed Agricultural Survej'or 

 with a salary of $-J,000, at the December Ses.«ion, 

 184-2. To R."\V. Ro])er, of Charleston, Chairman of 

 the Committee to whom the question of an agricul- 

 tural sur\'ey of the State was referred, the success of 

 the mtasui-e is mainly to be ascribed. 



[To be continued in next number.] 



