158 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



latter has the advantages of lime, more copious 

 dews, and facilities of irrigation. There is, 

 however, one native of Eastern Virginia, which 

 under proper nurture may finally rival the timo- 

 thy of the West ; I mean the green-sword. I 

 incline to think that this grass does not need 

 artificial watering, but does require artificial lim- 

 ing. The richer soils of Eastern Virginia are 

 generally too porous, and the claj's generally 

 loo poor for grass. Ashes and the treading of 

 cattle are the best improvers of porous lands ; 

 and urine and dung are proper for clays. 



The Corn Crop. — Mr. Woodson's method of 

 preparing his corn ground, will answer in porous 

 ground, not cumbered with turf or long litter ; 

 but otherwise, the planting and culture will be 

 a dragging business. I feel disposed also to 

 condemn his method of planting in squares of 

 three feet, as well as his breaking and tearing 

 the roots in its culture ; but will only remark, 

 that if his corn is as large as it should be, I 

 cannot conceive how he can plough amongst it 

 when grown, or nearly so, without tearing and 

 breaking it shamefully. 



Richard Russelh Farm. — My respects to this 

 Mecklenburger, and to all his full blood brethren. 



Ploughing. — The object in bedding land, is 

 to create drains ; and therefore, the width of 

 the beds should accord with the nature of the 

 land. The width of three corn rows will, how- 

 ever, be found to answer pietty well in any si- 

 tuation. The greater necessity for draining, the 

 higher the beds should be raised by a succession 

 of pioughings. 



Culture of Tobacco. — I vouch for every thing 

 "A Planter" says ; but let him be cautious of 

 permitting hogs to root his clay ground when 

 wet ; particularly in spring. 



JVLanure. — Mr. Jones holds a bold pen, and I 

 could have read his work with much comfort, 

 if he had not expended so much ink ; yet, I will 

 add another line to what he has written. In 

 warm weather, stock are so much plagued by 

 flies, during the day, that they then feed but 

 little ; consequently, if penned, they should be 

 pen fed. But horses, cows and sheep, particu- 

 larly the latter, require pure air ; and if they be 

 never housed or penned, except as protection 

 against inclement weather, so much the better. 



A Young Planter is certainly mistaken as to 

 clover (ungrazed) being an exhauster, without 

 plaster. His assertion that tobacco will take 

 rot, if the crop is not worked after a certain 

 time, is true ; but it is also true, that short work 

 produces short crops. 



Practical Directions for Dung Heaps. — This 

 is well worth the attention of farmers. My own 

 dung pits overflow on a meadow, consequently, 

 nothing is lost. 



COMMENTS ON THE JUNE NUMBER. 



Woodlawn Farm. — I wish Mr. Scales had 



given his communication a caption. It is cer- 

 tainly the greensword seed which he is desirous 

 of obtaining, and not what in Virginia is ge- 

 nerally known by the name of blue grass. It 

 is useless to sow this grass on land which will 

 not produce good wheat ; and the richer the 

 better. Either lime or ashes must be applied, 

 to bring it to profitable perfection, according to 

 my observation and experience. I prefer a mix- 

 ture of red clover and greensword, (Kentucky 

 blue grass) as they thrive on land of the same 

 quality, ripen at the same time, the mixed hay 

 is best, and they are both improved by plaster 

 and ashes. Does not Mr. Scales know that 

 this valuable meadow grass, is the same which 

 I suppose he has in his yard? Now, my dear 

 sir, don't turn away with loathing, but hold on ; 

 for I tell you that I have several acres of green- 

 sword meadow, which I would not exchange 

 for like quantity with any man. 



Curious Method of Planting Corn. — Some 

 years past two of my neighbors prepared and 

 planted their corn in the mode here mentioned ; 

 one of whom is dead, and the other has aban- 

 doned it. If corn-stalks are the best manure for 

 a crop of corn, it would seem that from the 

 same mode of reasoning, potato-stalks are like- 

 wise the best manure for potatoes, yet this au- 

 thor seems to repudiate the idea. 



Post and Rail Fence. — This plan of boring 

 and mortising posts has been practiced in Ken- 

 tucky for many years, with some difl'erence per- 

 haps in the construction of the bench. 



On the Comparative Advantages of Herdsgrass 

 and Clover. — I am pleased with this communi- 

 cation ; for the author exhibits zeal and honesty 

 of purpose — one objection, nevertheless. He 

 says, "the long practice of seeding poor, thin, 

 and pipe clay flats in herdsgrass, has satisfied 

 me of its great value." Now, so far so good ; 

 for such clay is the natural place for this grass. 

 But when the author says, in a general remark, 

 that "no vegetable matter can be raised in 

 greater abundance than the herdsgrass, nor is 

 any more valuable as a manure, I must beg 

 leave to dififer with him in opinion. 



Soot as a JManure. — 1 suppose cool soot was 

 printed for coal soot. Query, is not wood soot 

 equally as valuable as coal soot ? 



Ploughing. — One objection to gathering the 

 beds, as here recommended, and that is, an 

 awkward ploughman, particularly when the 

 beds are wide, will make the number of furrows 

 unequal on either side of the bed, consequently, 

 the beds will be of unequal widths ; whereas, if 

 they are cast out, till closing in the water fur- 

 rows, they will ever remain equal, whether you 

 begin on the crown, or on the original water 

 furrow. 



Stones on Cultivated Lands.— I cannot conceive 

 how stones of quartz, flint, or diamond, can 

 " serve to increase the crop," except by absorbing 



