THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



2G5 



day of their popularity is still far distant. 

 It seems to me that the most effectual 

 remedy against frauds, would be, for all 

 farmers who feel at all interested in the 

 matter, to inform themselves as to what 

 they ought to expect in the purchase of a 

 superphosphate, and refuse under all cir- 

 cumstances, to purchase any article which 

 on analysis will not come up to the stand- 

 ard thus fixed upon. 



There is a mode of treating bones which 

 deserves more attention, in my estimation, 

 than it has heretofore received. If 'bones 

 and wood ashes are thrown together, and 

 4ept for some months, the ley from the 

 ashes forms soap with the fat, which is 

 readily removed by water, and the bones 

 themselves soften so much, that if they 

 are thrown into the compost heap and then 

 on the soil, they soon break down and be- 

 come thoroughly incorporated with it. If 

 finely broken bones, or bone dust is used, 

 the softening process is more complete, 

 and the mixture becomes a very active 

 manure. The potash, besides removing 

 the fat, which, when bones are used, pro- 

 tects them from the action of the solvents 

 of the soil, has a strong affinity for the 

 phosphoric acid, and takes a portion of it 

 away from the line, forming soluble phos< 

 phate of potassa, leaving the remaining 

 phosphate of lime in a porous condition, 

 and capable of being much more readily 

 acted upon by the solvents of the soil than 

 when in the form of simple bone dust. — 

 Such a manure would be very cheap, and 

 when mixed with manures containing am- 

 monia, would, I am satisfied, be more effi- 

 cient than many of the so called super- 

 phosphates. 



WILLIAM GILHAM. 



Virginia Military Institute, 

 Feb'y 23, 1857. 



should be known. It is this, what per cent, ar'e 

 those farms producing, deducting all agricultu- 

 ral expenses? Being desirous of information, 

 and at the same time willing to giVe it when in 

 my power, I have thought it not amiss to give 

 you a brief synopsis of what some of us are 

 doing in Jefferson county, Va, 



Your humble correspondent was born and 

 raised upon a farm in this county, and in 1849 

 bought 425 acres of limestone land at $54 25 

 per acre, - - - $23,056 00 



j Also have invested for farm pur- 



I poses, personal property to the 



i amount of - -. 5,500 00 



t 



1 ■ , "/•■'..• 



$28,556 00 



Farming in Jefferson County, stated in the 

 Form of Account. 



March 19th, 1857. 



Mr. Editor: — I believe I have been your 

 humble subscriber since the commencement of 

 your valuable agricultural journal, and have 

 read many communications which alone have 

 paid me fully for my subscription. None how- 

 ever have interested me more than those head- 

 ed — What Kentucky can -do and what Rocking- 

 ham can do. 



Interesting and instructive as they are, there 

 is one point omitted in both, communications 

 which, in my humble opinion, above all others, 



Number of acres of cleared 



land, - - 355 



Number of acres of timber 70 



425 



My fields are all surveyed, and I have a plat 

 of the whole farm. 



Not being satisfied with working in the dark, 

 I commenced in 1851 to keep a farm journal. 

 I have relied on wheat, corn, grass, and clover 

 seed as staple productions. Also have raised 

 beef, pork, and mutton for market. 

 . I find, in referring to my journal, that I have 

 planted upon an average 80 acres of corn per 

 year, commencing in 1851 and ending in 1856, 

 which corn averaged 40^ bushels per acre of 

 shelled corn. The worst crop being in 1854, 

 only 16 bushel per acre ; the best in 1855, ave- 

 raging 59 bushels of shelled corn per acre. — 

 During the same time I have seeded annually 

 150 acres in wheat, which has averaged 17 

 bushels per acre, being fallow, stubble and 

 corn land. Best yield of wheat being on 40 

 acres of fallow ground in the year 1852, 32J 

 bushels per acre. 



Also raised oats in 1855, product between 50 

 and 60 bushels per acre. Product of meadow 

 for same time 2 tons per acre. 



Have at this time on farm, March 19, 1857 — 

 Cattle of all ages 48 head ; horses, mules, and 

 colts, 14 ; sheep, 45 ; hogs, 67. Keep more 

 cattle in the winter season than in the summer. 



Work 6 men and 1 boy on the farm, and oc- 

 casionally employ extra labour. Average ag- 

 ricultural expenses per year for 6 years being 

 store bills, taxes, labour and all bills for farm- 

 ing purposes, - - $1,168 00 

 Average net profits (per year) for 

 6 years, after deducting all ex- 

 penses, - - - 3,232 00 

 Interest on $23,056, at 6 



per cent. - - $1,383 



Interest on $5,500 of per- 

 sonal property at 10 

 per cent. - - 550 



$1,933 



Whole investment paying 10 per cent, on 

 first cost of farm. 



