1335.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



179 



nourishment for the prosperity of the tree. In or- 

 der to effect this, observation and experiments are 

 necessary; and ordinary care and attention to the 

 method prescribed above, will be sufficient to ac- 

 complish our purpose. 



How much, then, is to be deprecated that want 

 of zeal, which is so clearly manifested in this sec- 

 tion of the country in relation to the cultivation 

 and care of lruit trees. Providence has peculiarly 

 blessed us with the means of indulgingin most of 

 the luxuries enjoyed, by other sections of the 

 globe, but our apathy appears to have created a 

 total disregard to her munificent blessings in (his 

 respect. There is no spot on earth where most 

 of the stone fruit of other climes, could be culti- 

 vated in more perfection than in this State. The 

 diversity of soil produces diversity of fruit, and al- 

 though, on Charleston Neck, peaches and necta- 

 rines are destroyed by various insects, yet, all 

 kinds of plums and cherries may be raised in great 

 perfection: some of the latter raised there by Mr. 

 Michel, are equal in every respect to any ever 

 produced in a more northern climate. Cultivators 

 instead of importing and increasing the fine plums 

 of France, appear to be satisfied with the misera- 

 ble trash that grow unheeded and uncared for in 

 thickets. This negligence is reprehensible and 

 ought to be corrected. 



A FRENCHMAN. 



From the Charleston Mercury. 



whittemore's improved cotton gin. 



We had the pleasure the other day of examin- 

 ing the gin described in Mr. Whittemore's adver- 

 tisement, and observing its mode of operation; 

 and we would advise every Sea Island planter in 

 the city to go and do so also. The advertisement 

 falls short of justice to the simplicity and com- 

 pleteness of the mechanism, which is admirable 

 throughout. The cotton is ginned without break- 

 ing the seed or injuring the staple, the rollers being 

 preserved from being heated by friction rollers. 

 The moving power is applied somewhat on the 

 principle of the treadmill, the horse or ox being 

 placed upon a revolving floor which moves from 

 the weight of the animal, and obliges him to keep 

 his feet in motion. By this means the motive 

 power is communicated by the use of the endless 

 chain to the cylinder above, to which the wheels 

 of the gins are similarly attached. 



One of the gins is made to work either by the 

 treadle, or by the machinery; and it is very far 

 superior in every respect to the common foot gin. 

 As far as we are judges, it is altogether the great- 

 est improvement on the Sea Island cotton gin that 

 we have seen. The moving power may be used 

 with ease for other purposes, such as to work the 

 thrashing machine, for which purpose it is in ex- 

 tensive use by the northern farmers. 



The advantages of these gins, are the follow- 

 ing: — greater durability — less liability to get out 

 of order — getting out more cotton in a shorter 

 time, and cleaner, than any previous invention. 

 The trifling expense, and great ease with which 

 they are propelled-, the very small space occupied 

 by the whole machinery; the prevention of all 

 heat from friction, the cotton does not "backlash 1 ' 

 or wind and entangle itself round the rollers; all 

 the parts subject to wear are of cast steel: they 



can be worked by the ireadle or by horse power, 

 at pleasure; the rollers can be taken out and re- 

 placed in one gin, without interrupting the works 

 of the others, and the ginner need not be detained 

 more than two minutes while it is doing. 



But the planter need but visit it to be convinced 

 of its important advantages over the gins in com- 

 mon use on our plantations. 



ON THE SOILS AND AGRICULTURAL ADVAN- 

 TAGES OF FLORIDA. No. 1. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Plantation ff r ascissa, } 

 Florida^ Gih Jane, 1S35. $ 



Though unknown to you, I shall not apologise 

 for this intrusion upon your attention. The spirit 

 of your widely circulating Register, solicits the 

 contributions of all farmers, and though a very 

 humble one, I do not hesitate to exercise this pri- 

 vilege of my vocation. Another ambition also 

 incites me to write publicly — it is, to promulgate 

 throughout the exhausted districts of the more 

 northern and densely populated states, the in- 

 creasing value and prosperity, in lands and health, 

 of this territory; and to counteract, by the simple 

 statements of personal observation, the influence 

 of exaggerated reports, which have for some 

 years so materially checked the advancement of 

 Florida, and turned from her the flow of northern 

 emigration. Abler pens would doubtless accom- 

 plish this object with more elegance of diction, as 

 well as with more successful results; but in their 

 indolence, truth, though uttered with simplicity, 

 may prove sufficiently interesting, to pardon the 

 officiousness of my egotism. 



I have taken with increased gratification the 

 last two volumes of your valuable periodical, and 

 faultless as it is, I would suggest with deference, 

 your devoting more of its columns to agricultural 

 practices and improvements, adapted to the "far 

 south.'''' We are here extremely limited in book 

 farming, and generally ignorant of "making two 

 blades of grass grow where one grew before" — 

 and conceiving that with you lay the ability of 

 instruction, I have regretted that so much of your 

 publication could not be practically applied to our 

 new lands, and pioneering systems. 



Some two years since I came first to Florida, 

 after a residence of some years, as a sugar planter, 

 in the British West Indies; from whence I was 

 forced, with a sacrifice of property and prospects, 

 by the mad abolition act of the infatuated English 

 government. My object in selecting Florida as 

 a residence, was to establish, under a secure and 

 honest constitution, a sugar growing estate: and 

 before I conclude these letters, (to be only con- 

 tinued under your approbation,) I shall express 

 my opinion and experience as to its practicability. 

 At present, I shall endeavor to describe the char- 

 acter of the various soils, peculiar to the different 

 sections of this valuable and little known penin- 

 sula, which I have visited — commencing at the 

 Atlantic shore, and proceeding westward. 



The territory of Florida is divided into four 

 grand districts, each of which are subdivided into 

 counties — as it is of the "districts" 1 shall speak, 

 I will briefly detail their respective limits, and ap- 

 pellations. The eastern district, commonly called 



