104 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



sion house ; it was one of the most beautiful 

 and classic country seals I ever beheld. Fol- 

 lowing the banks of the canal, our admiration 

 was particularly excited by Mr. Boiling's island 

 estate, Mr. Fleming's highly cultivated grounds, 

 Mr. Warwick's 'Beaverdam,' and several others. 

 But it was not until we reached Mr. Richard 

 Sampson's, that our admiration reached its ze- 

 nith ; with but one objection, I can imagine no- 

 thing finer than the appearance his farm pre- 

 sented. Indeed, it is the opinion of those fami- 

 liar with the countries of Europe, that there are 

 few portions of it that can produce any thing 

 superior to the better cultivated farms on James 

 River, and I think we may safely so affirm, and 

 I would pronounce that cultivation perfect, did 

 not the ghost of that most hideous headland, 

 rise before me, and forbid the decision. 



Banister. 



CABBAGE LICE. 

 We are requested by Mr. Jos. C. Burton, whose 

 name is well known to the Agricultural Society 

 of Henrico, to state that for several years he 

 has been in the habit of freeing his cabbage not 

 only from lice but from the ravages of the yellow 

 worm, by simply mashing a clod of dirt between 

 his fingers, and sprinkling the dust over the 

 cabbages, in the morning before the dew has 

 been evaporated. Mr. Burton leaves it to phi- 

 losophers to explain the fact, but he savs many 

 of his neighbors are ready to join him in vouch- 

 ing for it. 



For the Southern Planter. 



Messrs. Editors, — 1 have been reading with 

 much interest the several communications upon 

 the cultivation of tobacco from the pen of Mr. 

 N. A. Venable ; I have been struck with some 

 of his positions with regard to the mode of cul- 

 tivation to prevent fire, (or rot, as he terms it.) 

 The cause to which he attributes it, that is too 

 much rain, I think correct ; but to prevent its 

 ruinous consequences, 1 resort to precisely the 

 opposite course, namely, ploughing deep and 

 thoroughly, so as to admit the rapid absorption 

 of the water, which by his mode will either be 

 altogether prevented or effected only at the ex- 

 pense of a gulley between each row, which 

 must carry off all the strength of the manure 

 deposited in the hill ; if he will, on the first in- 

 dications of the spot in tobacco run his coulters 

 deep and well, both ways, so as to break the 

 ground thoroughly, disturbing the roots of the 

 plant sufficiently to cause it to flop in the sun, 

 he will, nine times out of ten, arrest it altoge- 

 ther, and greatly increase the product of the crop. 

 This I never fail to do after the crop is nearly 



all topped, taking the heat of the day, and sub- 

 stituting a pair of light stretchers, instead of the 

 swingletree. I have been able effectually to 

 divest myself of that troublesome insect, the 

 cut- worm, by letting my hogs run in the tobacco 

 lots for a week or ten days previous, to the last 

 ploughing, before bedding or hilling ; it will be 

 found effectual in all cases, for I speak from ex- 

 perience. 



This being the first time I have taken pen 

 in hand, I shall not touch on some other subjects 

 relative to the tobacco crop until I see the fate 

 of this, as I have no vanity to gratify, only a 

 wish to be useful. 



Yours, A Planter. 



Nelson, April 7, 1843. 



It is always with reluctance that we publish 

 any statement upon the faith of an anonymous 

 signature ; especially does it look unfair to an- 

 swer a gentleman who writes over his own 

 name, from behind a mask : but the author of 

 the above has furnished us with his name, which 

 he withholds from the public only, we believe, 

 from feelings of diffidence, which he has no 

 cause to entertain. 



For the Southern Planter. 

 A CHEAP PAINT. 



Take one bushel of unslacked lime, and 

 slack it with cold water ; when well slacked, 

 add to it 20 lbs. of Spanish whiting, 17 lbs. of 

 salt, and 12 lbs. of sugar. Strain this mixture 

 through a wire sieve and it will be fit for use 

 after reducing it with cold water. This is in- 

 tended for the outside of buildings, where it is 

 exposed to the weather. In order to give a 

 good color, three coats are necessary on brick, 

 and two on wood. It may be laid on with a 

 whitewash brush. Each coat must have suffi- 

 cient time to dry before the next is applied. — 

 For painting inside walls, take, as before, one 

 bushel of unslacked lime, 3 lbs. of sugar, 5 lbs. 

 of salt, and prepare as above, and apply with a 

 brush. It is well calculated to preserve brick 

 walls ; and is far preferable to oil paint. This 

 paint will preserve rough boards much longer 

 than they would be from dressing them and co- 

 vering them with oil paint. You can make 

 any color you please. For straw color, use 

 yellow ochre instead of whiting ; for lemon co- 

 lor, ochre and chrome yellow ; for lead and slate 

 color, lampblack; for blue, indigo; for green, 

 chrome green. These different kinds of paints 

 will not cost one-fourth as much as oil paints, 

 including the putting on. 



A BRILLIANT WHITEWASH. 

 Many have heard of the brilliant stucco white- 

 wash on the east side of the President's house 



