118 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



remain a twelvemonth, they will make as lasting 

 posts as locust or any other timber. Having fre- 

 quently observed pine trees accidentally skinned, 

 coated over perfectly with turpentine, and know- 

 ing too, from experiment, that they could not be 

 killed by belting, the first year, 1 was convinced 

 of the truth and value of the statement in the 

 Planter ; and forthwith commenced the opera- 

 tion of skinning, and did not cease until I had 

 literally "skinned alive" some two or three hun- 

 dred trees. In a conversation with some of my 

 neighbors, a few days since, I mentioned the 

 subject and to my chagrin found they were per- 

 fectly incredulous, and disposed to laugh at me 

 for my folly. Now, I should like to hear from 

 the gentleman of Amherst, (Mr. Fuqua) whether 

 he can avouch the truth of his statement, or 

 whether he merely " told the tale as it was told 

 to him." Has he tested the thing fairly? 



If you can spare a corner for the above, you 

 will much oblige 



Yours, respectfully, J. R. G. 



Henrico, Jlpril 5, 1843. 



P. S. — In cutting the mortices in posts for 

 fencing, after the auger, a light axe, with a long, 

 narrow Wade, is greatly preferable to the mallet 

 and chisel. I am sure it expedites the work a 

 third if not a half. J. R. G. 



THE AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 

 This excellent periodical has just commenced 

 its second year, with its typographical depart- 

 ment much improved. As to the matter, it did 

 not need, hardly admitted of, improvement. Mr. 

 Allen, the Editor, is probably one of the most 

 knowing stock men in America, and as a writer, 

 his pen is particularly flowing, graceful, and 

 easy. We commend this publication to breeders 

 of stock, especially. 



From the Plymouth (Eng.) Herald. 



PRACTICAL DIRECTICfNS FOR THE PLACE 

 AND MANAGEMENT OF THE DUNG-HEAP. I 



Farmers have generally found out the advan- j 

 tage of having a dung-pit instead of a dung- 

 heap ; but still the rich drainage of the dung is ' 

 much of it allowed to run away ; the urine ; 

 from the stables, &c. does not half of it run into ! 

 the dung, though it is the best part, the essence 

 of the whole ; and the privy manure, which is 

 better still, is mostly neglected altogether. 



All drainings from the stables, cow-houses, 

 and styes, should run into the pit, and the over- 

 flowings should be caught in another pit, to 

 throw back in dry weather. 



The following is a cheap and effectual method 

 of doing all this: — When convenient, the pit 

 should be on the north side of a wall, or of 



some trees, to shade off the sun ; or under a 

 shed, to keep off both sun and rain ; but these 

 advantages cannot always be had without too 

 much cost. 



Having selected the best place for your pit, 

 first lay in way soil, peat, or any soil as different 

 as possible from that of your farm, and give it 

 a hollow surface, like a great tea-saucer. Upon 

 this lay potato stalks, and any other vegetable 

 matters, eas}' to ferment, and thereupon a layer 

 of dung. Next a layer of vegetable matter, as 

 peat, turf, bark, rotten weeds, ferns, leaves, or 

 any kind of dead vegetable, to increase your 

 quantity ; and so every week, cover your dung 

 from the stables, styes, &c. with three or four 

 times as much dead vegetable matter; thus 

 making up your heap in alternate layers. The 

 urine should all run into the pit from stables 

 and all, by narrow drains, where it will not be 

 much exposed to evaporation ; and another such 

 drain should lead from it to a lower pit, to catch 

 the overflowings when there are any ; and keep 

 them to throw back upon the dung in dry times. 

 This lower pit should be deeper and smaller 

 than the other, and must never be allowed to 

 overflow, as that would be waste. It may con- 

 tain cabbage stumps, and other things difficult 

 to work, which may be thrown back upon the 

 heap as they rot. 



The lower pit may be used as a store of liquid 

 manure, for watering young corn, in May or 

 June ; which gives it a start, and much strength- 

 ens its growth. In leaky ground, the bottom of 

 the pits should be staunched with clay ; and 

 stones or gravel stamped in, to harden it. 



The privy should discharge into the large pit, 

 if possible, or else into the small one ; and coal 

 ashes (but not wood ashes,) are good to throw 

 where this comes out. Saw-dust or turf-dust 

 from the stacks do very well. House- washings, 

 as soap-suds, &c. should also be thrown on the 

 heap ; but the wash of the country, and heavy 

 floods of rain should not be allowed to enter it, 

 but be led into the meadows by other channels. 



In wet seasons, the top should be slanted to 

 turn off the rain. 



Each layer of dung being covered with a 

 layer of peat or other dead vegetable matter, 

 the whole heap, when finished, should be crusted 

 over with way soil, or other earth, to retain the 

 vapors. 



The fermentation will be slower or quicker, 

 as it is more or less covered and compressed. 



Wherever your heaps are made, whether in 

 the yard or the field, give them a bed of some 

 sort to absorb the drainage, and crust them over 

 with soil, and mix all up with the dung before 

 spreading. The drainage carries down the 

 strength of the heap; sometimes enough to 

 kill the seed in the place where the heap stood ; 

 whilst it would have been of the greatest benefit 

 if spread out with the dung. 



