182 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



judges who have known the root in China satisfy 

 us that it is of but little value, and does not 

 promise to prove profitable to any body but 

 Mr. Prince, who is a well 'known nurseryman 

 and speculator in " garden truck." 



PRINCESS ALICE MAUD STRAWBER- 

 RIES. 



Mr. James Guest, Hollywood Nursery, has 

 sent us a specimen of these mammoth strawber- 

 ries. They are the largest and finest variety 

 now in cultivation, and are remarkaby fine for 

 the season. 



Mr. G. will have plants of this variety for sale 

 in the fall, and his advertisement will be found 

 in our columns at the proper season. 



GUANO ATTACHMENT TO THE WHEAT 

 DRILL. 



We publish below an extract in regard to the 

 disputed claim of Mr. T. F. Nelson of Clarke as 

 the inventor of what is known as the guano at- 

 tachment. So far as our belief goes we freely 

 give the benefit of it to Mr. Nelson. We know 

 him well and respect him highly; he is an hon- 

 ourable gentleman, and for him to assert a posi- 

 tive claim to anything is prima facie evidence 

 with us that he is right. In this particular mat- 

 ter of the guano attachment we are perfectly 

 certain that he is the inventor of it. Not only 

 arc we assured of it by himself, but gentlemen 

 from his neighbourhood cognizant of all the 

 facts, and worthy of utmost credit assure, us that 

 there is no doubt of the genuineness of his 

 claim. 



As there are conflicting claims to the honor of 

 inventing and introducing into Virginia, this val- 

 uable addition to the catalogue of Agricultural 

 machinery, we render but an act of simple jus- 

 tice to a citizen of Virginia, by setting before 

 the Virginia puT51ic, the following extract from 

 the report of a committee of the Virginia State 

 Agricultural Society, ascribing to him the honor 

 of having originated this important and valuable 

 implement. 



The State Agricultural Society in its schedule 

 of premiums for 1855, proposed to award "hon- 

 orary testimonials, to each individual of Virginia, 

 who, previous to 1854, has discovered, or intro- 

 duced, or brought into use any principle, pro- 

 cess or facility, or generally any improvement, 

 by which important value has been gained for 

 the agricultural interests of Virginia." 



The chairman of the committee of award un- 

 der the 8th dranch of the society's schedule, N. 

 Francis Cabell, Esq., of Nelson county, Va,, re- 

 ported, 1st: That the Rev. Jessee S. Armistead, 

 of Cumberland, is entitled to such honorary dis- 

 tinction for having "originally prepared" a 



"specific manure for tobacco, &c," an account 

 of which is detailed in the report and will ap- 

 pear in the transactions of the society. Refer- 

 ence is also made to a further account of it in 

 the Southern Planter for April and June, 1853. 

 The report then proceeds to award a similar dis- 

 tinction to Mr. Thomas F. Nelson, of Clarke, 

 for his guano attachment, as the following ex- 

 tract will show: 



"2. On the first introduction of guano, and 

 for some time afterwards, it was the general im- 

 pression that this manure was so highly stimu- 

 lating in its properties, as to destroy the germ of 

 any seed-grain with which it might come in con- 

 tact, when both were deposited in the earth. 

 Mr. Thomas F. Nelson, a citizen of Clarke 

 county, by experiment, so early as 1849— and 

 which was continued in subsequent years — satis- 

 fied himself that this was a vulgar error. As 

 guano was also highly volatile, a further deduc- 

 tion was, that in the usual mode .of its applica- 

 tion there was a great loss of useful effect, much 

 of it escaping without having contributed any 

 thing to the growih of the plant; and that a less 

 amount than was commonly used could be made 

 to answer the end if placed in immediate prox- 

 imity to the seed. With this view, he set about 

 devising an implement which should effect this 

 purpose. He invented what he calls a guano at- 

 tachment, w r hich in conjunction with any one of 

 several drills that are now used for seeding 

 wheat, may be made to deposit both guano and 

 seed in regulated quantities and at the required 

 depth — being the some which he has heretofore 

 exhibited on the Fair Ground of this society. 

 Whatever claims others may have to the inven- 

 tion of a similar implement, the undersigned 

 has had evidence laid before «him abundantly 

 sufficient to convince him, that Mr. Nelson was 

 the first in that region, and perhaps in the 

 whole State, to prove and expound the principle 

 above mentioned, and that he was the indepen- 

 dent inventor of an implement, such as we have 

 described ; and that its employment for the pur- 

 pose suggested, has resulted in the more econom- 

 ical use of that costly article and with equal ef- 

 fect." 



GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH. 



We have received the above book, by Saxton. 

 New York, from Mr. Woodhouse, Bookseller, 

 Richmond. 



It treats of the kitchen and fruit garden, with 

 hints on landscape and flower gardening. 



Not having time to read this book, we submit- 

 ted it to a lady friend of ours, who is one of the 

 best judges of such things that we know. She 

 says it is the best Gardening Book for our region 

 she ever saw. And we feel no hesitation in en- 

 dorsing her opinion, and recommending the 

 work to every one who has a garden. 



Price, $1 25. 



