THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



109 



and the other with paint prepared in the usual 

 way, in order that I might fairly test the differ- 

 ence between them in resisting fire. Having 

 painted each over twice, and allowing them to 

 become thoroughly dry, I had an equal number 

 of fire coals heaped on each, and the result was 

 that the one painted with common paint, burnt 

 through a few minutes before the other, and that 

 the fire laid on the other a good deal longer be- 

 fore it produced any impression on it. So much 

 for the fire-proof qualities. 



As an enduring paint, I doubt whether it is 

 as good as the common paint, and I do not be- 

 lieve, from the present appearance of the roof of 

 my house, that it retains long its powers of re- 

 sisting heat. When first put on, a good deal of 

 the stone is left on the surface of the shingle, 

 and it is that fact which gives it its fire-proof 

 qualities, but as time advances, this becomes 

 drier and drier, and finally having lost its con- 

 sistency, it is easily washed off by the driving 

 rains, and exposes the shingle. 



I am, in haste, yours, &c. 



A Subscriber. 



For the Southern Planter. 



COMMENTS ON THE JANUARY AND FEB- 

 RUARY NUMBERS OF THE SOUTHERN 

 PLANTER. 



JANUARY. 



Culture of Tobacco. — The remarks of Mr. 

 Minor are generally very good, but I desire to 

 put in a word or two. Why cover a plant bed 

 before the second treading % It is mischievous 

 and surplus work. After such clean raking, 

 and so many coulterings and picking roots, I 

 should never think of making a hill. If the 

 nature of the ground requires raising, then the 

 plough can be used ; otherwise by marking off 

 with a coulter, and making a chop and a clap, 

 the job is done. As to hilling for the purpose 

 of improvement, by enlarging the surface, I 

 must enter my protest, for at this season of the 

 year evaporation begins, and consequently loss 

 must be the consequence. Walloon tobacco is 

 often seen on high and dry land. It is the pro- 

 duct of an acid, not water. There is no use 

 for grubbing after cut-worms or abandoning the 

 crop, where the ground has been ploughed in 

 the winter, for such ploughing destroys the 

 worms. 



A Fence. — I fear this neat fence is rather 

 slender for old Virginia negroes and hogs.* 



JMud. — I go in for the mud, and every thing 

 friend Morriss says about it. If the dung is on 



* If necessary, a middle rail may be used, and 

 then this fence, from the crossing and interlacing, 

 will be so strong that even a thick-sculled negro may 

 butt his head against it with impunity, (to the fence 

 we mean.) — Eds. 



the route, I carry the mud to the dung ; if the 

 mud is on the way, I carry the dung to the 

 mud ; if matters are inconvenient, I spread mud 

 alone. 



Pumpkins. — I think well of this communica- 

 tion and intend to try the plan. 



Plaster. — 1 Rusticus' is informed that sulphate 

 of lime is not carbonate of lime, therefore, can 

 be profitably used on it. 



Mud, again. — T. M. S. says that " bog mud 

 is too light and spongy to get out on land alone." 

 In' answer, I say, that for every load of spongy 

 mud he will send me, I will give him two or 

 three of heavy quality in return. If friend S. 

 will only lay up his mud for a time, so as to 

 suffer its poisonous qualities to escape, it is then 

 ready for use, on any land of different quality. 



FEBRUARY. 



Tobacco. — Mr. Minor has too much handling 

 of tobacco in the field. The handlers should 

 pick up with both hands until full, and two may 

 lay their hands together ; and it is not necessa- 

 ry, except to save from frost, to put any tobacco 

 into shocks. I have tried the plan of putting 

 tobacco into the house immediately after cutting, 

 and letting it remain crowded until of the color 

 of a hickory leaf, but shall never try it again. 

 Except in windy weather it will certainly house- 

 burn. The continual hard firing is also objec- 

 tionable, as any purchaser will tell you. This 

 essay is generally good, but behind the age. 



Clay Lands. — The spreading of undecayed 

 vegetables and turning under matured crops, on 

 clay grounds, as recommended by Mr. Allen, is 

 well ; but I greatly prefer for this purpose, dung 

 of the most heating and fermenting kind. I 

 have tried both often, and know that there is no 

 danger of suffering loss by evaporation when 

 the manure has been ploughed down and mixed 

 with the earth. The remainder of this para- 

 graph from Mr. A. is excellent, and will bear 

 me out in every assertion. When speaking of 

 the adaptation of particular crops to his peculiar 

 mode of fall ploughing, I must confess that I 

 do not understand him ; but we perfectly agree 

 as to the action of ashes. 



Corn Hay. — The broom corn is far preferable 

 to maize for this purpose, under any and every 

 consideration. 



Foot-Rot. — I never knew or heard of a case 

 of foot-rot in Virginia. 



Cultivation of Corn. — Mr. Young, of Ken- 

 tucky, plants his corn invariably from the 20th 

 to the 25th of March ; but I guess he must va- 

 ry now, for his day has come, and the ground 

 is covered with snow, and stiff frozen. His 

 corn rows are three feet by three, with four 

 stalks in a hill, making 19,360 stalks to the 

 acre — too thick for old Virginia ; plants so thick 

 that only one ear grows on a stalk — that is 



