206 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



posed of as they think best. A gentleman was 

 looking at a hay-fork in our wareroom, a few 

 days since, with which he seemed much pleased; 

 but, says he, if I were to give it to my negroes 

 one day, they would probably throw it down 

 and run the cart wheel over it the next ; then, 

 said we, in all sincerity, you are better without 

 it. But this single remark was sufficient to let 

 us into the character of our visiter : he was un- 

 deniably and unqualifiedly a bad manager ; if 

 his negroes are as careless as that, they are 

 badly managed ; it is impossible he can be sup- 

 plied with good tools, to say nothing of labor- 

 saving machinery ; if he is without good tools, 

 his operations are of course poorly performed, 

 and if he lives by his occupation, it is only be- 

 cause it is of that generous nature that it af- 

 fords its followers a support, when most abused. 

 Now suppose a careful northern man were to 

 lay out his money one day in an implement, 

 and one of his hirelings should run a cart wheel 

 over it the next, what would be the consequence? 

 Why the careless fellow would instantly be dis- 

 missed, and the price of the tool be deducted 

 from his wages ; the certainty of this result and 

 the fear of punishment makes him careful. — 

 Would not the same system produce the same 

 effect with the negro ? If punishment invaria- 

 bly follow the offence, the offence will be very 

 seldom committed by either white or black ; 

 and the difference is in the character of the 

 masters, and not in that of the operatives, as is 

 generally charged. 



The fact is, if more order, and system, and 

 management are not introduced amongst our 

 laborers, (it matters not about their color,) not- 

 withstanding our manifold advantages of soil 

 and climate, we must be content to lag behind 

 our less favored brethren in the art of agricul- 

 ture. The application of labor-saving machine- 

 ry characterises the practical spirit of the age : 

 these inventions, which are now being translated 

 from the sister arts to agriculture, and which 

 are destined to introduce a new era in the his- 

 tory of the profession all require order, system, 

 and discipline for their practical operation. They 

 are concentrations of intellect, to be controlled 

 and managed by intellect alone: but this intel- 

 lect is not to be expected in the mere operative, 

 who is intended to be little else than a part of 

 the machine, but it is to be looked for and re- 

 quired in the manager and superintendent ; and 

 the more the characters of superintendent and 



proprietor are united, the better. It is this want 

 of knowledge and attention on the part of the 

 superintendent, and not the character of the la- 

 bor that exists at the South, that presents obsta- 

 cles to the introduction of improved implements 

 and machines in our farming operations. 



POTATOES. 



It is 272 years since potatoes were first 

 known in Europe. They were introduced into 

 Ireland, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 

 in 1565, by Capt. John Hawkins, who brought 

 them from Sante Fe, in South America. It is 

 said that they were first planted by Sir Walter 

 Raleigh, who had an estate in Ireland ; but the 

 natural history of the potato was so little un- 

 derstood at that time, that Sir Walter resolved 

 to renounce the expectation he had formed, of 

 bringing this exotic to perfection in that coun- 

 try. When in due time, after he had planted 

 the first potatoes, the stalks grew up, and he 

 perceived upon the stem a green apple, he 

 thought that was the fruit, which he had no 

 idea of being concealed under the earth. He 

 caused some of these apples to be boiled ; but 

 finding them nauseous to the taste, he concluded 

 that he had lost his labor ; and for some time 

 thought no more of potatoes. However having 

 some time after given directions that the ground 

 should be dug up, or ploughed, to his very great 

 surprise he found a plentiful crop of fruit, which 

 proved most grateful to the taste. They soon 

 got into general use, and became the principal 

 food of the Irish peasantry. 



AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF NEW YORK. 



The State Agricultural Society of New York, 

 desirous that some fixed principles should be es- 

 tablished as the basis of excellence in the va- 

 rious descriptions of farm stock, (without refer- 

 ence to their relative merits as breeds,) have 

 appointed the undersigned a committee, with 

 instructions to call the particular attention of 

 breeders throughout the States, to the impor- 

 tance of the subject, and to make the necessary 

 arrangements for a Convention to be held at the 

 Library Room of the American Institute, in the 

 city of New York, during its 16th annual fair, 

 in the month of October next* the day to be 

 hereafter noticed ; at which breeders of stock 

 and those interested in agriculture, are most re- 

 spectfully urged to give their attendance, with 

 a view to a full and free discussion of those 

 forms, qualities and properties which most con- 

 duce to intrinsic value ; and also that the dis- 

 tinctive characteristics of each separate breed 

 may be as closely defined as possible. 



* Evening of the 17th is fixed on for the meeting. 



