190 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



put it away in a cool place. When wanted for 

 use, cut off a sufficient quantity, melt by the fire 

 till it becomes liquid, and then till the lamp with 

 it, as with lard. It will give a clear bright 

 lio-ht, quite equal to that of lard, and better than 

 whale oil, and it costs nothing but the trouble of 

 preparing the fat. We highly recommend this 

 piece of economy." 



PEA WEVILS. 

 Few persons (says Dr. Harris,) while indul- 

 ging in early green peas, are aware how many of 

 these insects they swallow. When, these pods 

 are examined, small discolored spots may be seen 

 within each corresponding with a similar spot on 

 the opposite pea. If this spot on the pea be 

 opened, a minute whitish grub, without feet, 

 will be found therein. It is the wevil in its larvo 

 form lives upon the marrow of the pea, and ar- 

 rives at its full size by the time the pea is dry. 

 The larva then bores a round hole, from the hol- 

 low in the centre of the pea, quite to the hull, 

 but leaves the germ of the future sprout un- 

 touched. This insect is limited to a certain pe- 

 riod for depositing its eggs. Late sown peas es- 

 cape its attacks. Those sown after the 10th of 

 June are generally safe. 



WOOL — CLEANING AND CARDING. 



The manufacturing of rolls is a very different 

 business now, from what it was in the days of 

 our grandmothers. Then every farmer made 

 his own cloth, and carding-machines were as 

 plenty as grist-mills. Now they are scarce and 

 every day diminishes the number. Then, dean 

 wool was an object, now, heft and fineness of 

 fleece is sought. A machine could then card 

 from two to three pounds of rolls per day — now 

 from 40 to 60 is the extent of the capacity of 

 even larger and better machines. 



The difference is in the fineness and gum of 

 the wool. No Merino wool can be carded into 

 good rolls without cleansing. It is idle to ex- 

 pect it, and be it known that ninety nine cases 

 in every one hundred, bad carding is the result 

 of improperly preparing the wool. Wool is not 

 always clean when it is washed white. Clean- 

 sing wool, is, by far, a more difficult operation 

 than carding. Those who have wool to card had 

 better take it to the machine to be cleaned and 

 carded, when they have conveniences for doing 

 it properly, The charge for cleaning will nut 

 exceed a penny per pound. Never grease wool 

 till the day it is carded. Carry the grease to the 

 machine with the wool. Grease on wool soon 

 becomes rancid and then it is as bad as the gum 

 and dirt on the fleece. 



As sJme will cleanse, or attempt to cleanse 

 their own wool, it may not be amiss to give some 

 directions upon the subject. Ten years expe- 

 rience qualify me to say, that the following re- 

 cipe will work well, with proper care. To four 

 pails water, add four quarts of salt ; he,at the 

 solution as hot as you can bear the hand in it ; ' 



put in the wool loosely, say 2 lbs at once ; in ten 

 minutes it will be cleansed ; squeeze out the 

 liquid, (which is better than before for the sec- 

 ond use,) and while the wool is warm riuse in 

 plenty of water. 



Many use soap, pound the wool, or rub it on 

 a wash-board ; this is all wrong, as such a course 

 fulls the wool like a felt hat, and fails to remove 

 the gum. It is difficult to convince such a prac- 

 titioner that clemsing wool is a chemical pro- 

 cess not mechanical. Soap renders wool sticky, 

 No one need fear having his wool " dropped" if 

 it be well cleansed. Clean icool is perfectly 

 white and free from gum. Again, wool must 

 not be left in a pile while wet, till it musts or 

 mildews, if so, no machine I ever saw will card 

 it well. . I say again, pick out all burs, sort your 

 wool as you want it, and take it together with 

 the grease to the machine, and say to the carder 

 a cleanse and card." If you do so, the chances 

 "are you will have good rolls. Perhaps others 

 may know of a better recipe than the above. 



G. T 



Hampton, April 29, 1856. 



Mr. Editor, — As the time is at hand for bugs 

 to make their attack on Melon, Pumpkin, and 

 Cymblin vines, permit me to make kno-^n, 

 through your valuable paper, a remedy, a single 

 application of which, put an immediate stop to 

 the ravages, a host of them were committing on 

 my vines, last Spring. The vines were sprinkled 

 with water, well impregnated with the oder of 

 coal tar. The bugs instantly rose from them, 

 like a flock of black birds, and never returned. 

 I had my Rutobaga plants, as soon as they came 

 up, treated in like manner, and no insect at- 

 tacked them. 



Very Respectfully, Yrs. &c. 



G. W. Semple. 



Three Tracts of Land for Sale. 



I WILL feELL AT PRIVATE SALE THREE 

 TRACTS OF LAND, in the county of" Bucking- 

 tuin; in the lower end of the county, and im mediately 

 in the neighborhood of the Female 1 nstitute, containing 

 Five Hundred Acres, tw o hundred of which is in origi- 

 nal forest growth, lies well, well watered, and in an 

 agreeable neighborhood ; one Tract in the upper end 

 oi the county containing Thiee Hundred Acres, about 

 fifty acres of creek low grounds upon the same, nearly 

 all in original forest growth, and well timbered, and un- 

 commonly well watered and abounding in springs of 

 the very bust order; one other Tract, containing Seven 

 Hundred and Fifty Acres, heavily timbered, well wa- 

 tered, and nearly all in original forest growth. 



Presuming that no person would like to purchase 

 without first viewing ihe land, I decline giving a de- 

 tailed description of the same — inviting all persons 

 wishing to purchase to call upon me and judge for 

 themselves, as I am determined to sell, and will sell a 

 great bargain in the above lands. 

 June 1— 4t ROBERT MOORE. 



