246 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



into the adjoining field. There can be no doubt 

 that the shade of the fence alone has prevented its 

 extension, showing that it will not grow in the 

 shade. I have no doubt it can be eradicated by a 

 cover of leaves, straw or any other material which 

 will shade the land for a single summer. 



Silas Blow. 



Appomattox, July 10, 1854. 



JOINT WORM CONVENTION. 



At a Convention of farmers held at Warrenton, 

 Fauquier county, Virginia, on Tuesday the 13th of 

 July, for the purpose of taking some action with 

 regard to the ravages of the joint worm, James K. 

 Marshall, Esq. was chosen President, and R. W. N. 

 Noland, Esq. appointed Secretary. 



On motion, a committee of twelve was appointed 

 to draught resolutions expressive of the views of 

 the Convention. After due consultation, a set of 

 resolutions were reported to the Convention, by the 

 Chairman, Dr. R. E. Peyton. As amended, they 

 read as follows : 



1. Resolved, That, in the opinion of this Conven- 

 tion, the successful culture of the wheat crop is of 

 the greatest importance to the prosperity of the 

 Piedmont and Valley sections of Virginia, whether 

 we view it as it respects the interests of the farmer, 

 or of our commercial towns, or of 6ur rail roads. 



2. Resolved, That the injury done to the wheat in 

 the sections of the State, above named, by the ra- 

 vages of the joint worm, is so serious and exten- 

 sive that it may well excite the deep concern of all 

 interested ; and that from past experience we have 

 reason to fear that unless something be done to 

 destroy or check the progress of said insect, we 

 shall in a few years be compelled to abandon, for a 

 time at least, the culture of wheat altogether. 



3. Resolved, That in view of the heavy loss that 

 would be sustained by the abandonment of said 

 crop, and the impossibility of immediately adopt- 

 ing any substitute in its place, we deem it of the 

 utmost importance to ascertain some effectual re- 

 medy for the evil above named; and that if one 

 can be found we consider it the duty of every man 

 in the community zealously to carry it into practice. 



4. Resolved, That, in our opinion, the following 

 course is the best adapted to prevent the immediate 

 ravages of said worm, and ultimately to destroy it 

 altogether : 



1. To prepare well the land intended for wheat, 

 and to sow it early in the earliest and most thrifty 

 and hardy varieties, and do nothing calculated to 

 retard the ripening. 



2. To use guano, or some other fertilizer, libe- 

 rally ; and to use it always when seeding corn land 

 or stubble. 



3. To burn the stubble on every field of wheat, 

 rye or oats, and all thickets and other harbors of 

 vegetable growth contiguous to the crop ; and we 

 furthermore recommend our farmers to sow their 

 crops in as large bodies and in compact forms as is 

 practicable ; and, if possible, that neighbors arrange 

 amongst themselves to sow adjoining fields in wheat 

 the same year. 



4. To feed all the wheat straw or other that may 

 be infested, in racks or pens, or on confined spots, 

 and in April to burn all the remains. Also, on or 

 before the first day of May, to burn carefully all 

 the straw that has not been fed. 



5. Resolved, That we will, all of us here present, 



exert ourselves to have this plan carried into opera- 

 tion in our respective neighborhoods. 



6. Resolved, That whilst we deem it our duty to 

 use all the means in our power to rid the country 

 of this pest, we do so with a sincere acknowledg- 

 ment of our dependence upon Divine Providence, 

 with an humble petition for his blessing, and with 

 submission to his will. 



Mr. Carter offered the following resolution, which 

 w T as unanimously adopted : 



Resolved, That a committee be appointed in each 

 magisterial district, with power to add to their num- 

 ber, whose duty it shall be to visit the farmers in 

 said district, and to persuade all residing therein 

 to consent to adopt the plan of burning the stub- 

 ble, &c. and to superintend the process. 



The Convention then adjourned. 



James K. Marshall, President. 



R. W. N. Noland, Secretary. 



Among the speakers on the occasion were Messrs. 

 John Hill Carter, R. W. N. Noland, R. E. Peyton, 

 James F. Jones, Richard Payne, J. Q. Marr, Winter 

 Payne, and others. A good deal of debate arose 

 upon the question of the recommendation of guano 

 as an anti-joint worm fertilizer. Mr. Lane, of Rap- 

 pahannock, stated that he had found Mapes' ferti- 

 lizer equal to Peruvian guano, on his farm. 



A FEW WORDS ON CONFECTIONERY. 



Ratafia Cream. — Boil three or four laurel 

 leaves in one pint of cream; strain it: when 

 cold, add the yolks of three eggs beaten and 

 strained, sweeten it, put in a very little brandy, 

 scald it till thick, stirring it all the time. 



Orange Cream. — Squeeze the juice of three 

 or four Seville oranges to the rind of one; put 

 it over the fire with nearly a pint of thin cream ; 

 take out the peel before the cream becomes 

 bitter. When the cream has been boiled and 

 is cold, put to it the yolks of four eggs, the 

 whites of three, beaten and strained; sugar to 

 taste; scald it, stirring all the time till thick 

 enough. 



Blanched Cream. — Take a quart of the 

 thickest cream that can be got ; sweeten it with 

 fine sugar and orange-flower water; boil it, 

 and beat the whites of twenty eggs with a little 

 cold cream ; strain it, and when the cream is 

 upon the boil, pour in the eggs, stirring it well 

 till it comes to a thick curd; then take it up 

 and strain it again through a hair sieve, beat 

 it well with a spoon till it is cold, and put into 

 a dish. 



Burnt Cream. — Make a rich custard with- 

 out sugar, boil in it some lemon-peel; when 

 cold, sift sugar over it, and burn the top with 

 a salamander. 



Sweetmeat Cream. — Take some cream and 

 slice some preserved peaches into it; (apricots 

 or plums, if preferred,) sweeten the cream with 



