98 



bread." It is, however, certainly not Smith's 

 " Tockawhoughe." And if it was as rare at 

 the time of the settlement of Virginia as now, 

 it could hardly have afforded " a common article 

 of food." Lastly, if it had " neither root in the 

 ground, nor stem above," how could the abori- 

 gines have discovered it? 



That it does grow without root or stem — like 

 an egg deposited in the ground, is my own opi- 

 nion after a good deal of inquiry on the point. 

 But being no botanist I submit the question to 

 those who are. 



C. Campbell. 



Richmond, March 30, 1845. 



FIRE AND WATER-PROOF CEMENT. 



To half a pint of milk put an equal quantity 

 of vinegar, in order to curdle it; then separate 

 the curd from the whey, and mix the whey with 

 four or five eggs, beating the whole well together. 

 When it is well mixed, add a little quicklime 

 through a sieve, until it has acquired the con- 

 sistence of a thick paste. With this, broken 

 vessels may be united. It resists water, and, in 

 a measure, fire. — Selected. 



For the Southern Planter. 

 VIRGINIA OVERSEERS. 



Mr. Editor, — The planters of Virginia can- 

 not well dispense with overseers, and as the sea- 

 son for employing them is approaching, 1 beg 

 leave to submit a few suggestions for the con- 

 sideration of the agricultural community. I 

 know not what is the custom in lower Virginia, 

 but in the middle part of the State, contracts 

 are generally made with overseers from the 15th 

 of May to the 15th July, for services to be ren- 

 dered the succeeding year; and overseers move 

 on the 15th of November. 



I think that these contracts are made too 

 early, and that the present practice is highly 

 injurious to the interests of the planters, and ad- 

 vantageous only to those overseers who possess 

 no solid merit or character. Overseers can easily 

 obtain recommendations and certificates, and 

 upon the faith of these, they are often employed. 

 They commence the performance of duty on 

 the 15th November, and by June they inquire 

 of their employers whether they want their ser- 

 vices for another year. How can the planter 

 satisfactorily decide that question thus early? 

 The wheat and oats have not been cut, nor the 

 corn or tobacco crop made. Every thing may 

 be promising up to June, and the business of 

 the farm in a forward and snug condition, about 

 the time when new contracts are to be made, 

 and some addition to wages are expected. A 

 new contract is made, and occasionally we have 

 seen a great relaxation of energy and industry 



on the part of the overseer. The wheat and 

 oats are saved indifferently, and threshed worse; 

 the fodder is lost, the worms destroy much fine 

 tobacco, and when the crop of tobacco is housed, 

 it is often cured most wretchedly. " If I could 

 only have anticipated these things, (says my 

 brother farmer,) I never would have contracted 

 with this overseer for the next year." 



Again, if in June or July, you decline em- 

 ploying the overseer for another year, your agent 

 is apt to be mortified or vexed, and is not so 

 likely to act conscientiously as he would be, if 

 the period for making contracts did not arrive 

 before August, September or October. I have 

 no wish to disparage overseers, as a class. — 

 There are some good and some bad men among 

 them, as in all other classes or pursuits. 1 can, 

 however, perceive no substantial reason for ad- 

 hering to the objectionable practice of making 

 contracts at so early a day. No overseer should 

 be continued upon a farm if he prove incompe- 

 tent, and every agent should have a fair trial. 

 To allow this, more time is required than from 

 the 15th of November to the 15th of June. A 

 reform is demanded by the interests of the agri- 

 cultural community, who can accomplish it by 

 concert and co-operation, and without inflicting 

 the slightest injury upon any deserving and well 

 qualified overseer. If ten or fifteen influential 

 planters in each county will mutually agree to 

 postpone making contracts with overseers sooner 

 than September or October, the present fashion 

 will be speedily changed, and much good will 

 result. Overseers would then become more at- 

 tentive to their several duties. 



Our principal staples are now selling for 

 about half as much as they commanded in 

 1835-6. Some diminution in the wages of 

 overseers has taken place, but I respectfully ask, 

 if the wages now generally given are not higher 

 by from twenty to forty per cent, than the land- 

 holders can afford to give? A few years ago 

 lug tobacco sold in Richmond at five and six 

 dollars per 100 lbs. and now it sells at from 

 $1 65 to $2 per 100 lbs. Good passed tobacco 

 sells now about as well as lug tobacco did some 

 few years back. At this time, twelve hogsheads 

 of lug tobacco will not bring more than $200, 

 after deducting the expenses of getting them to 

 market. For the last three or four years the 

 wheat crop has been indifferent in Virginia, and 

 this staple has sold comparatively low. Our 

 products and the prices at which they sell, 

 should certainly be considered when we think 

 of making our contracts with overseers. The 

 latter have no moral right to expect high wages 

 in the present condition of the commercial world. 

 Let the overseers recollect that they receive 

 something more than wages. They and their 

 families obtain their bread and bacon, their milk 

 and butter, and many other comforts from their 

 employers. The overseers have no house rent 



