100 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



being convinced that the improvement resulting 

 from the use of marl, will amply remunerate the 

 farmer for his expenditure. In the forest country, 

 off from the Pamunkey river, in Hanover, is 

 found an abundance of marl of a different tex- 

 ture and containing different shells from that on 

 the river ; this, though not so rich, has been 

 used by many persons with very fine results. 



If you think this article will be acceptable to 

 your readers, you can place it in the Planter. 

 Truly, your friend, X. 



Hanover Co., JYov. 13, 1844. 



This article is from a gentleman who has had 

 as good an opportunity of observing the effects 

 of marl as any in Virginia. It was mislaid, or 

 it would have appeared in an earlier number of 

 the Planter. 



We have great faith in the efficacy of a pro- 

 per admixture of soils, and we think that much 

 of the benefit that is due to this cause has been 

 attributed to marling. The deposites of calca- 

 reous matter are frequently imbedded in clay } 

 and when the admixture is carted upon a light, 

 sandy soil, the improvement is frequently due 

 as much to the clay as the lime. So, again, 

 when the shell is found mixed with sand, the 

 application to a stiff clay is advantageous, 

 plainly upon the principle of the sand, rather 

 than the shell. Yet it is the fashion to attribute 

 all to the lime. 



One of the best agricultural books we evei 

 read, is "Morton upon Soils," where the neces- 

 sity of a due proportion of sand and clay to 

 constitute a fertile soil is clearly demonstrated. 



From the Maine Cultivator. 

 HOW TO MAKE SOAP. 



Messrs. Editors, — If you think the following 

 article worthy of an insertion in your valuable 

 paper, it is at your service. I have seen a great 

 many well written articles on agriculture, cook- 

 ery, &c. &c, but as I do not recollect of seeing 

 any thing written on " making soap," I will 

 give you the following, which is the result of 

 years of experience : 



First, set up your tub as usual, with sticks 

 and straw, and then put your lime (slacked) on 

 the straw to the depth of three or four inches — 

 then take a long stick that will come a few 

 inches above the top of the tub — wind a hay 

 rope around the stick, nearly its whole length — 

 let the stick go through the tub two or three 

 inches, then you can draw your lye without 

 putting your hands into it underneath. Put 

 your grease into the kettle, and turn in about 

 two quarts (or enough to cover the bottom of 



the kettle) of your strongest lye. Boil a few 

 minutes, then turn in a little more lye, and con- 

 tinue to turn in as the lye boils over, until your 

 kettle is about two-thirds or ihree-quarters full, 

 when you can fill up the kettle, and after skim- 

 ming the contents well, dip out and empty it 

 into the barrel. Put in two pounds rosin to one 

 barrel soap. If your lye is of sufficient strength, 

 you will be sure to have good soap. I have 

 heard people complain a great deal that they 

 did not have "good luck" in making soap. — 

 Their ashes were not good or not made from 

 good wood or something or other. But if the 

 above directions are carefully followed, I can 

 assure them that they will have no reason to 

 complain of " poor luck," or any thing of the 

 kind. 



N. B. — Clear grease does not require more 

 than ten minutes boiling, but where there are 

 bones, it takes longer time. Some people put 

 lime in the middle of the cask or tub, but the 

 main use of lime is to strain the lye, and make 

 it pure — therefore, it should be put on the top of 

 the straw at the bottom of the tub. 



An Old Hand. 



Grey, Feb. 28, 1845. 



For the Southern Planter. 

 THESHING MACHINES. 

 Mr. Charles T. Botts : 



Dear Sir, — My opinion of the wheat ma- 

 chine which I purchased of you in August, 

 1844, is favorably known in my own neighbor- 

 hood, but in justice to yourself and the public 

 generally, I feel it my duty, as it is my pleasure, 

 to request its publication in the columns of your 

 Planter. It has long been a desideratum with 

 small farmers to have such a machine as yours, 

 since crops of five hundred or one thousand 

 bushels will not justify the heavy expense of 

 other kinds. I prefer your machine over all 

 others, with which I am acquainted, because, 



1st. It is simple in construction and not apt 

 to get out of order. 



2d. It performs more work for less money 

 than other machines, and is fully adequate to 

 crops of 1,000 to 1,500 bushels. 



3d. It can be worked with the hands usually 

 found on farms to which it is adapted, wiihout 

 the expense and trouble of hiring extra labor. 



4th. It is known that the purple straw wheat 

 (of which we grow the most) has more capped 

 grains than any other — very few of which pass 

 from your machine in this objectionable condition. 



5th. With three mules and ten hands I 

 threshed, with ease, 120 bushels per day, passed 

 it through the fan once and stacked the straw. 



6th. The horse-power is, without doubt, the 

 most perfect I have ever seen. 



Permit me to say, sir, that the getting up this 



