THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



93 



the previous seventeen years, the length of time 

 in which they had dofl'e business in this place. 

 This is encouraging-, not only to the worldly 

 economist, but to the Christian minister, for I 

 regard the cultivation of the soil as intimately 

 connected with the religion and morality of a 

 country. My own observation has led to this 

 conviction, and hence in an attempt to do some- 

 thing for the spiritual interests of our roving 

 mountaineers, I have felt it my duty to endeavor 

 first of all to break up their habits of idleness 

 and hunting, and infuse among them a spirit for 

 the improvement of their rich, but neglected 



lands. Indeed I look to the change of feeling 

 now going on in favor of agriculture in this 

 Stale as one of the most promising signs of the 

 times both in regard to the physical and moral 

 advancement of the people. 



Excuse these quite unintentional remarks. — 

 At a future time 1 may take up this subject in 

 earnest, with a view to aid in the impression 

 which your deserving periodical is slowly, but 

 surely producing in favor of agriculture. 

 With the truest regard, 



Your friend and servant, 



L, S. Ives. 



WORKING MAN'S COTTAGE 



From time to time we have given representa- 

 tions of a more costly style of country house; 

 we now furnish a simpler and cheaper one, (taken 

 from a former number of the Cultivator,) for the 

 use of our more economical readers. There is 

 no reason why good taste should not adorn the 

 cottage of the peasant as well as the palace of 

 the prince. 



We hail the increased taste for architectural 

 improvement which is manifesting itself in our 

 country as a happy proof of a greater attach- 

 ment to our homes and as indicating a fixedness 

 of purpose, the want of which has been a great 

 bar to agricultural improvement. 



CULTURE OF THE CUCUMBER. 



I will state a fact relative to the planting of 

 cucumbers, which came under my observation, 



and which is worthy of being known. I shall 

 at least give a further trial myself of its reality ; 

 though I cannot conceive there is a doubt re- 

 maining on the subject. Last spring, a friend 

 of mine and myself were planting cucumbers 

 at the same time. I was planting mine, as 

 usual, in the gardens, by mixing a small portion 

 of stable manure with the earth, and raising the 

 hill an inch or two above the surface of the 

 ground. Observing it, he jocosely remarked, 

 " Let me show you how to raise cucumbers." 

 Never having much luck in raising them, I 

 cheerfully agreed to his proposition. He com- 

 menced by making holes in the earth, at the 

 distance intended for the hills, that would hold 

 about a peck — he then filled them with dry 

 leached ashes, covering the ashes with a very 

 small quantity of earth. The seed were then 

 planted on a level with the surface of the 

 ground. I was willing to see the experiment 

 tried, but had no expectation of anything but a 



