THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



229 



The present appearance of the farm evinces 

 that great diligence has been used in rear- 

 ing these grasses, and particularly clover, to 

 which Mr. Leigh gives the preference over all 

 other meliorating crops. He has successfully 

 adopted the plan of keeping up his tobacco 

 land with clover and plaster, and entertains the 

 opinion, that any land adapted to the growth 

 of clover may, with the aid of plaster, be im- 

 proved to an almost unlimited extent. Mr. 

 Leigh has, in fact, by the use of clover, plaster 

 and other manures, made rapid progress in the 

 improvement of his estate, and if he perseveres, 

 there is no doubt, that in a few years, he will 

 have the satisfaction of seeing the product of his 

 estate doubled, although he is now reaping as 

 abundant fruits of his skilll and enterprise, as 

 any of his neighbors. He has nearly all his 

 land in clover, and intends to continue seeding 

 until the whole of it is seeded. The cultivated 

 surface affords unequivocal evidence of agricul- 

 tural skill and personal attention, well worthy 

 of imitation. His corn field is clear and effi- 

 ciently cultivated. His tobacco land is well 

 prepared and planted. The committee differ 

 with Mr Leigh in regard to the mode of laying 

 off the corn rows between the hill-side trenches. 

 Mr. Leigh lays off his rows by the upper-side 

 of the trench, thus throwing the short rows on 

 the lower side of the trench above, and exposing 

 the land in a greater degree to the pernicious 

 effect of washing rains. He assigns the fol- 

 lowing reason for the plan he pursues: That if 

 in his sandy land the short rows are emptied 

 into the ditch, the ditch will fill up, and subject 

 the lands to greater damage than is likely to re- 

 sult from the plan he now pursues. This is a 

 subject well worthy of inquiry and discussion, 

 and one to which the attention of the Club is 

 particularly invited. 



The committee were struck with the neat- 

 ness and attention evinced in regard to the plan- 

 tation tools. They were good and well taken 

 care of, and proved (what ought to be seen on 

 every farm,) that there was a place for every 

 thing, and that even^ thing was in its place. — 

 This is a subject that the committee cannot too 

 highly recommend to the attention of the Club. 

 One of the great errors of Virginia manage- 

 ment is the clumsy construction and abuse of 

 the implements of the farm. A little neatness 

 in construction and care in the preservation of 

 them, will save much of time, labor and money. 



Mr. Leigh's attention to his stock is another 

 feature in his management worthy of note. His 

 horses are always in fine order, and when at 

 work are neatly and carefully geared, so as 

 to avoid rubbing or galling, and insure good 

 work. He is successful in raising pork, and 

 supplies abundanily the demands of his family. 



The committee must not omit to mention Mr. 

 Leigh's wheat crop, which was truly a fine one, 



and clearly proved that good management in 

 the preparation of the land, could overcome any 

 supposed deficiency in its character, for the 

 growth of that particlar crop. 



The committee would remark finally, that 

 with the addition of Mrs. Leigh, and a more 

 commodious dwelling, he would have great rea- 

 son to be contented with his lot. 



P. C. Venable, 

 H. L. Jeffries. 



From the Farmer's Cabinet 

 THE MILK CELLAR. 



It is a curious fact, but by no means unac- 

 countable, that in many parts of the country the 

 milk cellar is superceding the spring-house, — an 

 appendage that has always been considered in- 

 dispensable for the production of good butter, be 

 the other qualifications of a farm and its appur- 

 ienances what xhey might. While on a visit 

 to Wilmington, Delaware, I had occasion to re- 

 mark the excellence of the butter at my friend's 

 table, when he replied, he always selected the best 

 cellar butter at market, for the use of his family, 

 giving it as his firm conviction, that butter made 

 in a cellar, was far preferable to that made in a 

 spring-house, its great recommendation being in 

 keeping sweet and good much longer, and retain- 

 ing its fine flavor and color to the last, which 

 spring-house butter would not do. And he ob- 

 served, it is customary to account for the greater 

 price which some dairymen obtain for their but- 

 ter in market, by saying it is cellar butter ; in- 

 stancing the fact, in the high character of that 

 made by Mr. Bryan Jackson, near New Castle, 

 who never fails to obtain the top price of the 

 market, for butter of the finest quality; he hav- 

 ing a cellar that might be taken as a pattern for 

 all that part of the country. Of course, it is 

 readily admitted that much depends on the mode 

 that is adopted in the management of the dairy, 

 commencing with the breed and feed of cows, 

 and ending with the manipulations of the but- 

 ter ; but the idea is gaining ground, that the 

 best butter is to be made in a cellar, all other cir- 

 cumstances being equal : a remarkable revolu- 

 tion in public opinion, truly. 



On reconnoitering among my friends, I found 

 that several of them had substituted the cellar 



for the 



:-house ; and I do not know one 



spring , 

 who is not satisfied with the arrangement, ex- 

 cept it be where the cellar is dug in a damp soil, 

 or has been most injudiciously opened to the 

 well, the evaporation from which fills the room 

 with constant moisture, which may be found ad- 

 hering to the walls, the ceiling and the wood- 

 work, the shelves, and particularly the inside of 

 the door, causing a damp and clammy feel, and 

 a nauseous, mouldy smell, which the butter im- 

 bibes, to its lasting injury: indeed, no good but- 



