284 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



•we await with some curiosity the result of the 

 exhibition and report of the viewers. In the 

 New York Tribune we find an account of one 

 now in operation on a farm near Watertown, 

 New York. According to the editor, it has 

 been very successful, and is easily transferred 

 from place to place. Looking at the subject 

 cursorily, and not as an experienced mechanic 

 would perhaps do, we cannot see why it is not 

 practicable to attach a steam engine to any 

 desired spot and remove it at pleasure, and 

 with as much ease as we put down and take 

 up the hor.-;e power and drum of a threshing 

 machine. With such portable motive power, 

 the farmer might almost command his own 

 time for every operation. We apprehend that 

 the danger likely to result from fire will al- 

 ways operate to prevent the use of many steam 

 engines on the farm, and hence we have laid 

 greater stress upon the importance of electro- 

 magnetic power, by which casualty from fire 

 and expense of fuel are alike avoided. 



For the Southern Planter. 



MULT1COLE OR POLAND RYE. 



In the volume of the Southern Planter for 

 1848, Mr. William Massie, of Nelson, states 

 that he with much difficulty procured half a 

 gill of this grain, which produced one exact 

 bushel. From the bushel, on ordinary land, 

 he made forty-five bushels, while the produce 

 of the common rye did not exceed four to one. 

 His subsequent experience seems to have been 

 equally successful. Having been struck with 

 his statements, and having it as strongly re- 

 commended by another gentleman, I procured 

 in November, last year, one bushel, which was 

 seeded on two acres of ordinary land, and has 

 produced a very fine crop — not less, I think, 

 than fifty or sixty bushels— though not having 

 yet been able to thresh it I could not ascertain 

 the exact quantity. Being satisfied, however, 

 of its superior value to farmers who have 

 working teams to feed, and the time for seed- 

 ing being at hand, I beg to call their attention 

 to this valuable grain, and to recommend the 

 substitution of it for a part of the customary 

 oat crop. From land which will produce not 

 more than twelve to fifieen hundred weight of 

 oats to the acre, I am satisfied forty bushels of 

 the Multicole rye may be made, and a much 

 greater weight of straw than oats on the best 

 land will produce. The grain ground and the 

 straw cut and mixed with it, makes as tine 

 feed for work horses and mules as can be. 

 Two years ago the price was four dollars per 



bushel. It may now be had for one dollar — 

 possibly for less. 1 think no farmer will be 

 disappointed who gives it a fair trial. 



An Old Subscriber. 



CROPS IN VIRGINIA. 



The crop of wheat is a very fair one, taking 

 the State at large. The grain is of lighter 

 weight than usual. We have never seen so 

 much straw. The process of threshing has 

 been exceedingly tedious, not only in conse- 

 quence of the length of the straw, but also of 

 its dampness caused by the storm about the 

 middle of July, and a succession of showers 

 since. The present prices, in all probability, 

 will not be sustained, unless the British crop 

 shall turn up more than there is reason to an- 

 ticipate from our last accounts. The first ar- 

 rivals of this year's wheat found the Richmond 

 millers not done shipping flour made from last 

 year's crop. A considerable quantity of old 

 flour is now on hand in the commercial cities. 

 The Richmond market price is higher at pre- 

 sent than that of Baltimore, which two years 

 since exceeded ours several cents. 



From every quarter we hear bad tidings of 

 the tobacco crop, which will be largely cur- 

 tailed. The failure, too, extends to Kentucky, 

 Tennessee and Missouri. Such planters as 

 were fortunate enough to have an abundance 

 of plants, and will pay attention to the putting 

 up of their tobacco in really nice order, may 

 be assured of a lucrative business from this 

 year's crop. 



The crop of corn is very promising. It will 

 give a fair remuneration to the grower. Un- 

 like the other great grain staple, the quantity 

 of old corn on hand is quite limited. The 

 statements in relation to the crop made in this 

 journal last season whilst it was grow ing have 

 been fully borne out by the result. We have 

 seen but too many short supplied cribs in our 

 travels. The market for the crop of 1849 

 opened at two dollars and twenty-five cents 

 per barrel, and reached three dollars and fifty 

 cents before the middle of July. This latter 

 price was somewhat reduced by the timely 

 rains which came soon afterward. We have 

 seldom seen as much grass, even where the 

 crop was well worked, and now (24th August) 

 appears between the rows. We should say 

 that it will be impracticable to sow wheat, 



