70 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



are used for the heaviest draught, the smaller 

 and more agile are employed throughout the 

 Empire in the diligences, — an intermediate 

 draught {trait vMermzdwirc — trait moyen) 

 which does not exist either in England or in 

 the United States,— for the simultaneous trans- 

 portation of passengers (with their luggage) 

 and merchandise, at a pace between that of the 

 English stage coach and the heavily laden 

 wagon. To secure the requisite energy and 

 quickness for this special and severe labor, it 

 is necessary to employ stallions; and I do not 

 "believe that geldings,— from the peculiarity of 

 the race in losing much of their power, spirit 

 and endurance on' castration, — would answer 

 in our country except for slow work. Indeed, 

 I never saw or heard of French gentlemen 

 riding or driving Percherons; and I mention 

 them only, because they may be deemed the 

 archetypes of the French horses and are the 

 dominant race employed in the public vehicles 

 and in rural labor. The French prefer their 

 horses for all private rapid uses {chevavx de 

 luxe) to be of the blood of the races distin- 

 guees, which they are compelled to seek either 

 across the channel or the Mediterranean.* 

 Crosses with Percherons vulgarize for many 

 generations the English stock for quick draught 

 [trait leger, by which is meant every draught 

 from that of the coach or carriage inclusive to 

 that of the lightest vehicle) and for the saddle, 

 by shortening their necks, (which is fatal to a 

 saddle horse and to the style of a harness 

 horse,) by enlarging their heads, clodding their 

 shoulders, drooping their rumps, cleaving their 

 quarters, putting hair on their legs, or other- 

 wise marring their symmetry, beauty or activity. 



[To be continued.] 



For the Southern Planter. 

 REMARKS 



On, the disputed question, whether the Growth of Sorrel 

 is Prevented by the Soil being Made Calcareous — 

 and on the facts adduced as opposing evidence. 



Some months past, there appeared in the 

 Southern Planter a communication from Dr. P. 

 B. Pendleton, of Louisa county, in which was 

 opposed and condemned my doctrine of acid 

 soils, and also questioned my position that the 

 making of acid soils (or those so termed) calca- 

 reous, will prevent the growth of field or sheep- 

 sorrel. This article has been republished in the 

 last American Farmer, (February, 1855,) ac- 



* It is true that France, of necessity, imports a 

 good many horses from Germany, not for the pur- 

 pose of reproduction, however. They are not ill 

 looking except that they frequently have the Ro- 

 man nose, {Tie bu$qu4e,) but it is said they soon 

 sink lander fatigua. 



companied by another by the editor of that pe- 

 riodical, uniting in the strictures, and presenting 

 other and more remarkable testimony to sustain 

 his designed refutation of mypositions, assumed 

 in the Essay on Calcareous Manures. Deeming 

 that 1 have already pressed upon the public no- 

 tice these views of mine at as much length as 

 the circumstances required, or would excuse, 1 

 had at first determined to make no reply to these 

 strictures. And it is with reluctance now that 

 I shall even partially depart from my first de- 

 signed inaction. It is only as to my facts which 

 are disputed that 1 propose to answer; and even 

 this would be unnecessary if the actual results 

 in question were fully known to the readers of 

 the strictures. As to the theory of acid soils, or 

 any merely theoretical opinions of mine, I shall 

 say nothing more in their defence. They will 

 be left to stand or to fall by what 1 have before 

 set forth, if all that has been already adduced 

 in their support is insufficient, I will not weary 

 the public by repetition, or by attempting to fur- 

 nish other and more convincing proof. 



But while thus declining to argue in defence 

 of any theoretical opinions, it is proper to re- 

 mind my opponents, and their readers, that these 

 views were formed on observations made en- 

 tirely in the tide-water region; and so fearful 

 was I of extending my doctrines farther thap 

 the observed facts authorized, that my assumed 

 positions were limited in expressed and guarded- 

 terms, to the tide-water region of Virginia. The 

 preface to the earliest separate publication of 

 the essay in question, commenced with the fol- 

 lowing saving clause, and which has been re- 

 published in every succeeding edition: 



"The object of this Essay is to investigate the 

 peculiar features and qualities of the soils of our 

 tidewater district, to show the causes of their gen- 

 eral unproductiveness, and to point out means as 

 yet but little used, for their effectual and profitable 

 improvement. My observations are particularly 

 addressed to the cultivators of that pari of Virginia 

 which lies between the sea coast and, the falls of the 

 rivers, and are generally intended to be applied only 

 within those limits. By thus confining the appli- 

 cation of the opinions which will be maintained, it 

 is not intended to deny the propriety of their being 

 farther extended. On the contrary, I do not doubt 

 but that they may correctly apply to all similar 

 soils, under similar circumstances; for the opera- 

 tions of Nature are directed by uniform laws, and 

 like causes must every where produce Hke effects. 

 But as I shall rely for proofs on such facts as are 

 either sufficiently well known already, or may easily 

 be tested by any inquirer, I do not choose to extend 

 my ground so far, as to be opposed by the assertion 

 of other facts, the truth of which can neither be estab- 

 lished nor overthrown by any available or sufficient' 

 testimony." 



These sentences certainly and strictly should 

 confine any controversy on my propositions to 

 facts and proofs furnished within my own pre- 

 scribed limits. My reasoning should be met by 

 opposing facts within these limits, and not drawn 

 from "Middle Virginia," in which Dr. Pendleton 

 maintains that such opposing facts, of vegetable 

 growth, &c. are presented. But while I claim- 

 to have thus limited my assumed ground, in re- 



