282 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



of corn upon an acre of land. Tins we believe 

 is an unprecedented yield for Henrico, and we 

 would be obliged to Mr. Botts for a history of 

 the transaction. We should like to know, in 

 the first place, how he ever came to think of 

 attempting such a thing, after the declarations 

 so repeatedly and positively made that the cli- 

 mate and soil of Virginia were not adapted to 

 corn ; and then, we should be pleased to learn 

 the means by which he effected it. 



When you dig your potatoes and gather your 

 vegetables, carry the vines and other refuse to 

 the pig pen ; also have your swine supplied 

 with the requisite quantity of weeds — let it be 

 as regular as the rising of the sun, and you 

 will find by the end of September there will be 

 few left for seed. It is not half the labor that 

 it will be next year to subdue their offspring ; 

 and you gain by this operation two-thirds the 

 keep of four hogs on an ordinary farm of one 

 hundred acres. This is profit even for the ava- 

 ricious. — Farmers' Advocate, 



This number closes our labors for the year, 

 and we feel conscious that our dollar has been 

 fully and fairly earned. We hope too that our 

 subscribers generally are satisfied that for their 

 pennj', they have got their penny-worth. We 

 are not so vain nor so stupid as to imagine we 

 have given universal satisfaction. There are 

 two sorts of people who we are conscious have 

 lost by their speculation in the Planter, and 

 who, we presume, will stop their subscriptions; 

 certainly, we should advise them to do so. — 

 These two classes comprise, first, those indivi- 

 duals who are already so well informed that 

 there is nothing more for them to learn, and se- 

 condly, those who are so ignorant that they 

 have not even a desire to learn. We believe 

 that our book contains a very small number that 

 would properly come under either of these heads, 

 and we hope, therefore, that whilst we antici- 

 pate large additions to our list, we have no rea- 

 son to fear many withdrawals from it. We 



would not be understood as censuring any gen- 

 tleman because he don't choose to subscribe, to 

 the Planter ; on the contrary, we doubt not that 

 many show their wisdom in preferring other 

 publications to it ; but we do mean to ex- 

 press the opinion, openly and boldly, that every 

 farmer who does not take an agricultural paper 

 fails to avail himself of the best opportunity of in- 

 vestment that can be afforded him. We will make 

 a present of the Planter to any individual, who, 

 over his own name, will have the hardihood to 

 deny and attempt to refute this proposition. 



We are always pleased at the arrival of the 

 period which renews our connection with our 

 friends and patrons. Many imagine, no doubt, 

 that the dollar is all we get for a year's sub- 

 scription ; let us tell them that it not unfrequently 

 happens, that at this period of the year, we re- 

 ceive from old and valued friends a letter enclos- 

 ing a dollar in money, and ten times as much 

 in compliments and congratulations; we can 

 assure them that the money is often times the 

 least valued part of the communication. 



Since we have published our intention to 

 stick to the cash system and to send no paper 

 that is not paid for in advance, we have received 

 two or three letters in which the writers have 

 begged us not to stop their papers because they 

 might not have an opportunity of sending the 

 money at the close of the year ; requesting us to 

 consider them subscribers for life. We are much 

 flattered by these testimonials of esteem, and hope 

 our friends will not take it unkindly that we are 

 compelled to stick to our rule without exceptions. 

 Let them understand how we keep our books. 

 Our old subscribers are registered under their 

 particular post offices, which are all regularly 

 indexed. Well, we have said to our clerk, make 

 a cross mark opposite the name of each gentle- 

 man as he pays for the year 1844, and send the 

 paper onfy to the cross marks. Now, how 

 shall we mark those gentlemen whom we are 

 perfectly willing to trust, and who say to us 

 send the paper and we will pay you hereafter? 

 If we mark them with a cross, they stand paid, 

 and if they are not so marked, the clerk is very 

 apt to miss them in mailing; so, gentlemen, you 

 see it is very apparent, that human ingenuity 

 can devise no means by which you will be sure 

 of getting your paper except that of handing to* 

 the postmaster, as soon as possible, one dollar ; which 

 he will kindly frank to us, and which will entifle 

 you to all the benefits of the cross mark. 



