C feet high, and in the ears were no, 60, and 

 even 80 grains of wheat of full development."' 

 A satisfactory explanation of this experiment, 

 remarks a French writer, is found in straw be- 

 ing a bad conductor of heat and a good con- 

 ductor of electricity. The roots, consequently, 

 were maintained in a medium temperature, and 

 the moisture of the earth, furnished by the straw, 

 facilitated the absorption of carbonic acid from 

 the atmosphere. As pine leaves contain a much 

 greater proportion of nutritive juices, they should 

 always be used, if obtainable, in preference to 

 the straw of other trees or any crop. 



Having already extended this communica- 

 tion to an unreasonable length, I will merely 

 add that the true and permanent interest of the 

 agriculturist is to be found in preparing again.st 

 the vicissitudes of the seasons, and not in weak 

 and uncertain attempts to mitigate their influ- 

 ence. Deep plowing, loosening effectually the 

 texture of the soil, and a bountiful supply of ap- 

 propriate aliment are the surest means for the 

 accomplishment of that purpose. While a par- 

 simonious use of manure is sure to develop slen- 

 der returns, it promotes slowly but inevitably 

 the deterioration of the land. It is better, then, 

 to cultivate a few acres to the plow or laborer, 

 furnished abundantly with enriching materials, 

 than treble the number without nutriment. 

 These truths were practically enforced in the 

 palmy days of Egyptian Agriculture. The Ro- 



man husbandman was considered blessed who 

 owned seven acres of ground. 



In England, twenty or thirty acres constitute 

 a good farm, and in China for one-third of that 

 quantity a large family is well supported. The 

 grass lands in the inmicdiate viciniiy of Edin- 

 burgh rent for 8100 the acre. In West Cam- 

 bridge, Massachusetts, manure to llie value of 

 SlOO per acre is supplied by many of the farm- 

 ers, and instances are not unfrequent of ten 

 acres, thus fertilized, yielding in money Sj,000.* 

 To us the full power of land is unknown ; in- 

 deed, nowhere has it been ascertained that there 

 is a limit to production. The period, perhaps, 

 has aiTived, w hen not only the advancement of 

 their pecuniary welfare, but it may be, the 

 preservation of the domestic institutions of the 

 South depicnds on a radical change in the hab- 

 its and practices of the tillers of its .soil. If, in 

 relation to this State, the distressing visitation of 

 the last summer have the effect of arousing the 

 attention of our agriculturists to the necessity of 

 union among themselves, with a view to a free 

 and full interchange of opinions in matters per- 

 taining to their common vocation ; they may 

 yet have ample cause to be grateful to a merci- 

 ful Providence for the calamity with which they 

 have so recently and heavily heen afflicted. 



WHil'EM.ARSn B. SEABROOK, 

 Pres. State Ag. Soc. of So. Ca. 



* Fanner's Register. 



PHILADELPHIA BUTTER: 



ITS HIGH FLAVOR AND THE SOURCE WHENCE THIS IS DERIVED. 



Tc the Editor of the Farmers' Librarj' : 



My Dear Sir : During one of your late visits 

 to Philadelphia, we had some conversation 

 relative to the rare qualities of Philadelphia 

 Butter, which, though good at all times, is at 

 one season distinguished by a peculiarly high 

 and delightful flavor not to be found in the same 

 degree, so far as I can learn, in Butter made in 

 any other part of the Union. I told you that I 

 thought I had discovered the source of this pe- 

 culiarly grateful flavor, and now undertake to 

 redeem a promise made to write you on the 

 subject. 



In the first place, I wish you to bear in mind 

 that the original settlers in the old counties ad- 

 jacent to Philadelphia were chiefly from Wales, 

 and hence may claim a legitimate right to excel 

 in the processes of the daiiy. They took up 

 their abodes among the hills, and as indispensa- 

 ble appendages of their farm houses, built what 

 they call "Spring Houses," over the natural 

 fountains flowing out of the hill-sides. These 

 are shaded by wide-spreading trees tending to 

 preserve the coolness imparted by the water 

 surrounding the vessels containing the milk, 

 orepm and other dairj- product.s. A tempera- 

 ture is thus secured for the cream established 

 bj' experiments as the most favorable tc the per- 

 / 1 1 0) 



feet operation of churning, namely, the range 

 from 50° to 65° — beginning with the cream at 

 or near the first-named degree, and terminating 

 the process with the temperature at 65°. It is 

 only after the butter has " come," that warm 

 water is to be added so as to raise the warmth 

 to 70° or 75°. This is to facilitate the separa- 

 tion of the Butter from the milk. No one who 

 has ever visited Pennsylvania Spring-Houses 

 and observed the coolness and cleanliness they 

 usually display, can doubt the great advan- 

 tages afforded by them for dair>' purposes. 



But, though the.se circumstances may serve 

 to improve the general qualities of Philadel- 

 phia Butter, still they are by no means con- 

 cerned in producing that delightful flavor, the 

 immediate cause of which is the main point to 

 which I now wish to call your attention. As 

 before intimated, it is only at one season that 

 the flavor is in greatest perfection, and hence 

 our housekeepers call it " May Butter,"' and 

 sometimes " Grass Butter."' The limits of the 

 season of highest flavor may be set from about 

 the middle of April to the middle of June. 

 Now it is precisely during this time that the 

 old, unplowed meadows and pasture fields in 

 the vicinity of Philadelphia abound with a spe- 

 1 cies of grass so highly odoriferous as to liave 



