THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



83 



the number been tenfold greater. Fat- 

 better were it for the present generation, 

 if in the choice of an employment, pa- 

 rents and their sons would view the sub- 

 ject as these have done; and let those 

 sons be directed in their choice to the 

 same wise results. Thus, much of the 

 idleness and crime which are exerting 

 such a fearful influence upon us, would 

 never have existed. Many of the tempta- 

 tions to vice would have been avoided. 



I know a father, engaged in a profes- 

 sion, who has. an only son, for whose in- 

 terest he has ever felt the deepest solici- 

 tude. When that son was sixteen, like 

 many lads of his age, he manifested a 

 strong desire to engage as a clerk in a 

 store. The father felt that agriculture 

 was an equally honorable business — much 

 safer, and more free from temptation ; yet 

 he did not wish absolutely to compel to a 

 course averse to his own choice. He, 

 therefore, engaged a place for him with a 

 merchant of his acquaintance, to be oc- 

 cupied in a few months, on condition that 

 the son should still persist in his determi- 

 nation. He then took the son alone, and 

 informed him that he had procured such 

 a place; at the same time pointing, out, 

 in a kind manner, the disadvantages of 

 the mercantile business, and of agricul- 

 ture. He told him that he was now of 

 an age that he must choose for himself. 

 That whichever way he should now de- 

 cide, he would be aided as much as prac- 

 ticable — that that decision must be final — 

 that he might reflect upon the subject one 

 week, and then let his decision be known. 



At the close of the week, he decided 

 "to be a farmer," to the joy of his father. 

 From that day onward, he has pursued 

 steadily his course — is now pleasantly 

 situated on a comfortable farm, and is 

 proud, at ' home and abroad, to be known 

 as a farmer. 



LIME IN PLANTING TREES. 



•Many object to planting trees either for 

 ornament or use, in consequence of the 

 numerous failures they experience. This, 

 however, it should be recollected, is not a 



necessary result. With proper care there 

 is no more difficulty in transplanting than 

 in planting and propagating from the seed 

 or germ. In setting trees, we have ever 

 found that they do best when taken up 

 in the fall, about the time the leaves drop. 

 Fruit and forest trees, shrubs and perenial 

 plants of all descriptions, may, at this 

 season, be removed with perfect success. 

 In setting, we usually put a small quan- 

 tity of lime in the hole — about half a 

 peck to a tree, mixing it thoroughly with 

 the mould, in order that it may be easily 

 accessible to the roots, which, ramify in 

 every direction in quest of. food. An En- 

 glish publication says that an extensive 

 plantation of trees has been formed within 

 a few years, without the loss of a single 

 tree, and this has been effected simply by 

 putting a small quantity of lime in the 

 hole before depositing the tree. Four 

 bushels are said to be amply sufficient for 

 an acre. The effect of the lime is "to 

 push on the growth of the plant in the 

 .first precarious state." There seems to 

 have existed, at first, an apprehension that 

 liming the plant would force it on prema- 

 turely, but this apprehension experience 

 has demonstrated to have been perfectly 

 groundless. 



MANAGEMENT OF HOTBEDS. 



The prevalent opinion among farmers 

 repecting hotbeds, is, that they are expen- 

 sive articles, requiring the skill of professed 

 gardeners to manage them, and almost 

 entirely outside the range of farming eco- 

 nomy. Both suppositions are decidedly 

 erroneous, and we hope that every one 

 who reads this will arrive at such a con- 

 clusion. We do not propose that every 

 farmer should go into the regular routine 

 of'forcing vegetables at extraordinary sea- 

 sons ; but that every one, however humble 

 his circumstances may be, should, at least, 

 have one hotbed to forward such plants 

 as he may want to cultivate in his garden, 

 and which he has either to purchase from 

 gardeners— and then get poor, badly grown 

 things — or else wait for the regular pro- 

 cess of open garden culture, which, in 



