THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



71 



NURSERY. 

 We would call attention to the advertisement 

 of Messrs. Winter & Co., successors to Prince, 

 the celebrated Long Island nurseryman. Their 

 establishment is probably the most exlensive in 

 the United States. The descriptive catalogue, 

 which is furnished gratis, is a neat pamphlet of 

 ninety pages, and contains information worth a 

 hundred times as much as the price at which 

 it is offered. 



For the Southern Planter. 

 COMMENTS. 



Mr. Editor, — As it is a rainy day, I will devote 

 afew hours to reviewing your last number, which, 

 like all that has preceded it, is both interesting 

 and useful to every farmer, and indeed well worth 

 the " pitiful sum of one dollar" to every reader. 



"Poudrette" — 1 am satisfied from the various 

 and contradictory communications, that some 

 plan will have to be adopted for testing the qua- 

 lity of this valuable manure, before it is sold. — 

 For after so many have been deceived, others 

 will be slow to purchase. Your remarks seem 

 to have roused Mr. D. K. Minor's ire, which 

 may have a salutary influence in making him 

 or his agent more particular in future. 



"Emigration to Virginia" — The author is cer- 

 tainly right in regard to the relative advantages 

 of the country about Petersburg to the Northern 

 emigrant, over Fairfax. The almost inexhausti- 

 ble source of marl must make that country very 

 desirable to any one disposed to locate near good 

 markets and good society. It is really strange 

 that a country like that, possessing so many 

 natural advantages, should have been so long 

 overlooked. 



" Oxen." — The only true reason why the 

 Northern ox is quicker than the Southern, is 

 the mode of breaking ; teach them to step quick 

 when they are first worked, and never work a 

 young ox with an old broken down one, and my 

 word for it, they will always step quick. If 

 they are to perform hard service in hot weather, 

 they must be fed on some dry food, for no ani- 

 mal, either horse or ox, can stand hard work 

 when fed alone upon green food. 



" Preservation of Vines from Worms and 

 Bugs." — The mode suggested is certainly a 

 good one and a cheap one. The boxes once 

 made, will last for years, if taken care of. I 

 lost myself every single vine the last year for 

 the want of just such boxes. 



"The Lard Lamp." — This is a good invention, 

 if properly made; but all I have seen have the 

 same defect ; which might be easily remedied by 

 making the screw of better quality* 



* We have this lamp for sale, in which the defect 

 complained of is completely remedied. — Ed. 



"Moveable Fences. 71 — I have never seen any 

 moveable fence that would stand our hills in 

 March, or during windy weather. I have used 

 them for lots and cow-pens, for which purposes 

 they answer very well. 



"Charcoal." — This is a valuable auxiliary to 

 the soil, no doubt ; but I fear (in many places 

 at least) it will be like the " Indians gun, cost 

 more than it will come to." I have made an 

 experiment to ascertain what quantity of coal a 

 given quantity of wood will afford ; and find, 

 that it takes about fifteen cords to yield about 

 three hundred bushels. Now, when we estimate 

 the worth of the wood, the hauling, and the 

 time it takes to burn and then prepare it for the 

 soil, which itself is a tedious operation — we will 

 find it rather a slow business. Still, I would 

 advise all who have to burn coal for a shop, (as 

 many farmers keep one,) to use all the refuse 

 coal after the kiln is burned, as there is a great 

 deal of fine coal ready prepared for the soil, that 

 is useless for working. 



"Liebig" — I see knowing ones are handling 

 this gentleman's theory of " Vegetable Physiolo- 

 gy" with gloves off ; lay on Macduff, so we but 

 get at the truth. 



11 How to Make an Unproductive Fruit Tree 

 Bear" — There is some truth in this: I have 

 seen the whole body of a tree skinned by an 

 old lady for the same purpose, and to my aston- 

 ishment, the next year the tree had a beautiful 

 smooth bark, and bore ever after finely. 



"On Ripe Bread" — This seems rather an odd 

 expression ; but as to the saving, I suspect Mrs. 

 Dorothy is right, and as to its being more healthy, 

 none can doubt, though not quite so palatable. 



"Blind Ditches." — An Octogenarian is per- 

 fectly correct about how poles are to be put 

 when used for blind ditches ; but my own ex- 

 perience is, that stone is the very best material 

 I that can be used; I have made a long ditch 

 I with very rough stone, and find it answers much 

 better than poles, and when once done, it is done 

 forever. When stone is not to be had, poles 

 answer next best, or two poles and one slab 

 plank. 



" Herdsgrass." — " A Subscriber" wishes to 

 know whether it answers to plough in the seed. 

 Any small seed require to be covered very light ; 

 ploughing, I think, would put them in too deep. 

 I have generally obtained a good stand by sow- 

 ing with my wheat in the fall, and harrowing 

 it in with the wheat. If wheat is ploughed in 

 on corn land, I sow after it is ploughed in, and 

 then harrow with a light harrow ; and if it 

 should not be thick enough in the spring, I sow 

 again upon the surface ; and if for a meadow, 

 and still not thick enough, (as sometimes will 

 be the case,) I sow on the stubble early in the 

 fall, and harrow in. The quantity I never mea- 

 sure, but aim to put an abundance, as there is 

 no danger of having it loo thick. About a 



