20 
AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES OP FLORIDA, ETC. 
in agricultural improvement ; but I soon found that 
I had fallen upon the wrong time. 
I found the news of the presidential election that 
had taken place the day before, in New York, 
and other eastern states, a thousand miles away, 
here in every man's mouth, and so engrossing all 
attention, that it would be an idle waste of time to 
offer to talk upon any other subject. Ah, me ! 
How can the minds of a people be brought to think 
upon the importance of judicious cultivation of the 
earth, who never think or read of any other subject 
than party politics 1 The manufacturer of plows, to 
them is a far less important person than the manu- 
facturer of political opinion. 
Speaking of plows. I saw at St. Louis, one of 
those great, unwieldy, iron, Scotch plows, just im- 
ported for the use of some prairie farmer, at a cost 
probably sufficient to have kept him in a neat, light 
article, suited to his wants, a life time ; while this, 
after proving its total unfitness for this soil, will go, 
as many others have done, to the smith's shop for 
old iron. ****** A n unwelcome shake of 
ague, here shakes off the balance of this article. 
Solon Robinson. 
On the Mississippi River, Nov. 14th, 1848. 
Our readers will see by the above, that their old 
friend and bright examplar, in the great work of 
agricultural improvement, has at length taken up 
his march for the south, with the intention of pass- 
ing the present winter there. He promises month- 
ly reports of his seeings and doings in that luxuri- 
ant and hospitable region, which we have no doubt 
will be found highly entertaining and instructive to 
the readers of the Agriculturist. Mr. Robinson 
will act as agent in his travels in soliciting sub- 
scriptions for our periodical, as well as obtaining 
orders for the agricultural warehouse of A. B. Al- 
len & Co., of New York, and Stephen Franklin, of 
New Orleans. We beg to commend him and his 
objects to our southern friends, and hope that his 
travels among them will prove mutually servicea- 
ble and agreeable. Any one wishing to address 
Mr. Robinson previous to the first of next March, 
can do so, to the care of Mr. Stephen Franklin, 
cor. of Magazine and Poydrassts., New Orleans, who 
will promptly forward all communications to him. 
PLOWING- WITH ELEPHANTS IN INDIA. 
Hundreds of active young elephants can be pro- 
cured at the straits of Malacca at from $50 to $100 
each ; admirably suited for work of various kinds, 
hut more especially for plowing. One of these 
animals will closely plow a full acre of land in a 
day with the greatest ease to himself; and only 
requires to be attended by his keeper in addition to 
the plowman. 
Any one visiting Singapore may see a small ele- 
phant, named " Rajah," working daily on the es- 
tate of J. Balestier, Esq., American Consul; and, 
although the animal is only five years and a half 
old, he will plow his acre of land a day with ease. 
One man holds the plow, and another (the keeper), 
walks beside the animal and directs him in his 
duty. The docile little creature obeys every 
word that is said to him, and will plow ail 
day between the cane rows without plucking a 
single cane. — Wray. 
VENTILATE YOUR STABLES. 
And we mean by this, not only where horses 
and cattle, but where sheep, pigs, and poultry are 
confined. This is best done by placing a ventila- 
tor at the top of the building to carry off the impure 
air. If this cannot be done, then let in fresh air 
from the top of a door or window, or take off an 
upper board. Animals are much less likely to take 
cold or suffer when the fresh air comes in from the 
top of the place where they are kept. 
Recollect that pure air is composed of 79 parts of 
nitrogen, mixed with 21 parts of oxygen, and an 
indefinitely small quantity of carbonic acid; that 
this air is constantly losing its oxygen in the pro- 
cess of breathing, and carbonic acid is thrown out 
in its place. An undue quantity of carbonic acid 
in the atmosphere displaces a proportionate quanti- 
ty of oxygen, and thereby diminishes the healthful 
properties of the air. This disproportion, if carried 
to excess, will destroy its life-sustaining principles, 
and produce death, as effectually as in burning char- 
coal in a close room. Hence, the vital necessity of 
purifying the air by constant ventilation. 
AGRICULTURAL CAPABILITIES OF FLORIDA. 
This state differs in many respects, from any 
within the American Union. Situated at the ex- 
treme southern point of our national domain, and 
surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic and the 
salt waters of the gulf, it enjoys a climate peculiar 
to itself. Here several of the tropical fruits, the 
orange, the olive, the sugar cane, and the vine, 
flourish in unstinted prodigality. Melons, the 
sweet potatoe, the yam, and arrow root luxuriate in 
this fruitful soil and genial clime throughout a large 
portion of the year. Here, too, the sugar cane at- 
tains a maturity and richness no where equalled in 
the United States. 
There is a body of rich, alluvial land lying on 
this and the contiguous waters, a part of which, at 
least, is underlaid with marl, that produces the cane 
in great luxuriance and full maturity. It here tas- 
sels and flowers, and ripens almost to the top, and 
is scarcely ever touched by frost. The planter 
may here busy himself with other matters, till his 
crop is fully ripe, before commencing to cut and 
grind ; and when ready for the mill, he may jog 
along leisurely, relying with almost entire security, 
that frost will not curtail him of half, a fourth, or 
any part of his crop. This is a great and decided 
advantage, which planters here enjoy over their 
neighbors of Louisiana ; and will enable them, in a 
measure, to make a comparatively secure business 
here, of what is not unfrequently a very hazardous 
one there. More than three hogsheads per acre, 
have been made some seasons, where one had not 
been saved on the Mississippi. The cane starts 
earlier in the season, than elsewhere, grows more 
rapidly and uniform, and is seldom checked by 
frost, or severe weather. These advantages, and 
the further ones, of prolonged growth and security 
against loss by freezing, give an important, indeed, 
a pre-eminent advantage to the comparatively lim- 
ited sugar region of Florida. The cultivation of 
this crop has but recently commenced, but its suc- 
cess already, will soon secure the full improvement 
of so much of the adjoining territory, as is suited 
to it. 
