144 



THE FARMEllS' REGISTER 



REMOVAL OF THE OBSTRUCTIONS IM REI> 

 RIVER. 



To ihe Editor of the F.irmers' Register. 



I have this day received Irom Gen. Williamson, 

 ihe contiacior under the Uniied Sinles lor opening 

 the rait on Red river, a letter dated the 19th inst., 

 saying that the obstructions were removed, and 

 that the steamer Soutli Western had on thai day 

 passed through oti her way to Fulton, a flourish- 

 ing town some two hundred miles above the rait, 

 an'd thai the Harrisburg steamer, with a barge in 

 tow, was in eight, and would be very soon also 

 through. 



It is part of the contract under which the river 

 has been opened, that it shall be kept open lor five 

 years, alter which time the stream will be so wide 

 as to enable it to pass its lioaling drift wood, and 

 take the same care of iiself as other rivers. At 

 present the river is so lessened in width by accu- 

 mulations of alluvial soil on the sides, from the 

 lodgment of its drilt timber, that it will take the 

 current some time to wash out a space equal to 

 the size ol the river either above or below these 

 obstructions; and it is during this time, and lor 

 this o^ject, that the contract is continued (or some 

 years, so as to assist the current, where it may 

 Irom time to time show that if is needed, in widen- 

 ing its bed. When this is eftected, it is but rea- 

 sonable to expect that the river will keep itself 

 open within the raft region, as it has always done 

 for 500 miles above it, and as it now does below 

 it. The town of Shreeveport was built some 

 years ago above one hundred miles within the re- 

 moved raft, and the ri^er has kept itself clear to 

 that place. It is now removed for fifty miles 

 above that place into the unobstructed river, and 



where it is 200 yards wide, and that for several 

 hundred miles above. 



The opening of this great river, which may now 

 be deemed certain, will give an inlet for brisk 

 trade to steam bonis, in a fiassage of five days 

 Irom New Orleans, into unquestionably one of the 

 finest cotton countries of the United States, whe- 

 I ther we regard climate or leriiliiy of soil. 

 I The lands immediately on the river are natur- 

 ally dry, light, and easy of cultivation, and yield 

 on an average of years "irom 1500 to 2000 pounds 

 of seed cotton to the acre, and under favorable 

 circumstances on particular acres has yielded more 

 than 3000 pounds, and in corn as high as 75 

 bushels. ■ In corn it yields from 40 to 60 bushels 

 to the acre. These lands are all owned by pur- 

 chase from the government, or claimed by settlers 

 with a view to a purchase when they shall be 

 brought into market. 



There are large bodies of good oak and hickory 

 upland, running parallel with the river and con- 

 venient to it, that can be had at government price, 

 and are now in the market lor entry. The produce 

 is various, from 600 to 1200 pounds of seed cotton 

 to the acre, but Irom 600 to 800 pounds cotton, or 

 20 bushels of corn, may be about a general ave- 

 rage. These lands are easy to clear, and free, light 

 and easy to cultivate, and the country generally 

 well watered and pretty healthy. 



This country ie worthy a vistt from the planter, 

 (which can be comfortably and cheaply made,) 

 as it is perhaps the only pan of the I'nited States, 

 taking into consideraiion price and feiiility, that 

 will enable him to make reasonable profits on the 

 present price of cotton, which, it is to be feared, is 

 neither accidental nor temporary. 



Mobile, March 12, 1842. 



CONTENTS OF THE FARMERS' REGISTER, KO. HI. VOL. X. 



ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



Notes on Sandy Point estate, No. 5, 



Remarks and inquiries on manures. 



Rotation of crops, 



An essay on ^-rass culture, - - - - 



The farm and farming of the Rev. J. H. Turner, 

 No. 1, - 



Remarks on the opposite opinions of magncsian 

 hme, - 



Minutes of agricultural facts, - - - - 



Remarks on the making, preserving and apply- 

 ing of manures, 



An act concerning the Board of Agriculture, 



Successful culture of silk in 1841, 



Un the causes of deterioration of wheat in Vir- 

 ginia, -------- 



On the cultivation of the corn crop, 



Removal of the obstructions in Red river, 



♦ SELECTIONS. 



The cut worm, 



To kill lice on cows, horses or hogs. 



Of the improvement of races. 



Clover and timothy — manure, - - - 



On guano— concluded, 



The culture of sugar. 



Proper treatment for cattle newly brought to the 

 south, 



Page 

 97 

 100 

 114 

 120 



127 



134 

 135 



136 

 138 

 139 



140 

 142 

 143 



99 

 100 

 101 

 103 

 104 

 106 



108 



rage 



Facts in hog feeding 108 



Sheep-killing dogs, 109 



Black the worst color for painting wood work 



in the open air, 110 



Eighth agricultural meeting at the State House, 110 

 Particular results of farming in Massachusetts, 111 

 Indian corn for fodder, . . - . - 113 

 Habits of the curculio, and means for its de- 

 struction, 114 



The advantages of the climate of the United 



States over that of England, - - - 115 

 Address to the Agricultural Society of Mason, 



Kanawha and Cabell, ... - 116 

 List of premiums awarded by the Mason, Cabell 



and Kanawha Society, - - - - 119 



Silk culture in East Tennessee, ... 119 

 Extracts from the proceedings of the Wentham 



(Eng.) Farmers' Club, ... - 124 

 Fact on food and manure, .... 126 

 Origin of paper money, .... 130 

 Paper money reform, ..... 130 

 Accidental experiment. Results of top-dress- 

 ing on clover, ..---- 130 



The potato, 131 



Magnesian lime, 131, 132 



Sugar beet, - 133 



! Remarks on seeds and seedsmen. Sowing 



seeds, causes of failure, &c. 

 Painting houses, - 



138 

 143 



