42 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



as susceptible of improvement as any land on 

 the face of the earth. I verily believe that there 

 are natural cleposites of manure in Virginia fully 

 sufficient to make all the arable lands in the 

 State rich ; and I verily believe that the time 

 will come, sooner or later, when Virginia will 

 be the Eden of North America. Marl, lime, 

 gypsum, charcoal, rotten w T ood, ashes, and other 

 matters of minor importance must do all for the 

 agriculture of Virginia, that could be desired. 



I had often thought of trying charcoal on my 

 land, but neglected it till I read Liebig's Agri- 

 cultural Chemistry. I am now engaged in burn- 

 ing coal, and shall burn one thousand or more 

 bushels this winter, which will be pounded fine 

 and spread on clayey land, at the rate of about 

 two hundred bushels the acre. I have no pine, 

 which Liebig says is best, therefore, I burn 

 chesnut, which with me is abundant, and if my 

 first experiment proves satisfactory, I intend 

 hereafter to burn several thousand bushels, an- 

 nually. The burned earth, and ofTal coal about 

 the pits, are both moved so soon as cool, and 

 spread on the land. See Liebig's Agricultural 

 Chemistry, third edition, page 79, 80, 104, 207, 

 250, 365. 



I lately informed the Editors of the Southern 

 Planter, that I intended to use charcoal in con- 

 nection with animal flesh, but whereas the coal 

 would have a tendency to stay the putrefaction 

 of the flesh, I have not used it ; but made the 

 layers, rotten wood, flesh, ashes, earth, rotten 

 wood, &e. The flesh lately used is six sheep, 

 killed to keep them from dying ; and to-day, I 

 had about four hundred pounds of the offal of 

 wool from a carding machine, spread in the 

 stead of flesh ; which I have no doubt is fully 

 equal in virtue to the carcass of a dead horse ; 

 and we are informed that such a carcass is suf- 

 ficient to decompose twenty tons of peat earth, 

 and transfer it into the most enriching manure. 

 See L. A. C. page 259. 



Za. Drummond. 



Amherst, Dec. 20, 1842. 



In this communication breathes the true spirit 

 of agricultural improvement. From what w T e 

 have learned of him, we have formed a very 

 high estimate of the vigor, zeal, and energy of 

 Mr. Drummond, and, if ever the opportunity 

 offers, we shall be most happy to make the per- 

 sonal acquaintance of a gentleman, to whom 

 the agricultural community in general, and we 

 in particular, stand so largely indebted. 



For the Southern Planter. 



FOUNDER. 



Messrs. Editors, — I lately had occasion to try 

 a recipe published in your valuable periodical, 



with the most complete success. Not long since, 

 my barouche horse being badly foundered, I had 

 holes dug in the ground, nearly knee deep, and 

 filled with water ; the water was then heated 

 with hot stones, and the horse lead into it, where 

 he was kept for two or three hours. At the 

 same time, I had him well bathed up to his 

 shoulders and hips with hot water, and then 

 rubbed dry. On the second morning, he started 

 on a journey of two hundred miles, which he 

 performed without any apparent inconvenience 

 at all. 



Your obedient servant, 



W. H Dupuy. 



Cczlebs, Pittsylvania. 



If we can procure any more of the grass 

 roots referred to in the first part of Mr. Dupuy's 

 letter, we will forward them with pleasure. 



For the Southern Planter. 



Messrs. Editors, — I am a reader of the South- 

 ern Planter, and am often amused, and I hope 

 much benefitted, by many very interesting com- 

 munications, and though I do not know that my 

 opinion is worth anything, yet I think it is due 

 to you to say I think it a most interesting and 

 valuable periodical, especially to such persons 

 as will be judicious in their selection of subjects 

 for experiments, taking care not to make them 

 upon too large a scale. I am not much in the 

 habit of newspaper writing, and am no farmer 

 or planter, and hardly any thing else, yet will I 

 try, in my plain manner, to state some facts, of 

 which I have become possessed from many 

 years' experience and close observation, in refer- 

 ence to feeding or managing stock hogs ; I 

 mean such as range in the forest or large pas- 

 tures. It is a very common practice with many 

 persons to call their hogs up in the morning, by 

 or before day, and give them a small allowance, 

 depending upon their rooting or grazing for the 

 balance of their support. Some give another 

 allowance at night. The best plan is, to give 

 the entire allowance at night. When called up 

 early, (especially in cold weather) before they 

 otherwise would stir, they become chilled and 

 receiving a small allowance, it stays the appe- 

 tite or cravings of nature, and they return again 

 to their beds, or seek some sunny spot and lie 

 down, where they often remain (hog-like with- 

 out thought) until ten, twelve, and sometimes 

 three o'clock in the day ; they then have but 

 little time to seek a supply of food by grazing 

 or rooting; when night comes on, they again 

 lie down hungry, empty and cold, and are climb- 

 ing upon each other and squealing during the 

 night, without rest, and if by chance there be 

 any small ones in the number, their complaints 

 (if they happen to be at bottom) are disregarded 

 and they fare badly. If not called up in the 



