SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
41 
Cally four or five inches at least, thicker still. In this last 
coat the cobble stones may be again added In finishing 
the dome, leave a good sized opening in the top and lay 
upon it and imbedded in the mortar a fla^^ging stone with 
a man- hole of convenient size ; and as soon as the arch 
has hardened, which will be in only a few days, the sup- 
ports may be removed with safety. 
Tnese," by the way, should be quite numerous, and 
strong enough to bear the heavy pressure to which they 
will be subjected without yielding, otherwise the safely 
of the dome will be impaired. This cistern will stand 
anything but frost. 
CORN CULTIVATION, dkc. 
Editoes Southf5rn Cultivator — I have read every- 
thing I could get hold of in regard to the growth and cul- 
tivation of our standard provision crop — Indian Corn — 
and am yet altogether unsatisfied in regard to the practi- 
ces of our farmers in its cultivation, and with the aston- 
ishing ignorance I find to exi-t amongst the farmers in 
regard to it. Men may write volumes on deep plnicing — 
manuring, &.C., and others may “ astonish the natives” 
by “ chemical analysis” to the end of the chapter, while 
one or two practical questions will utterly knock all their 
theories into nothing I am a young farmer; never until 
four years ago, did I know or care when or how to 
plant or sow, reap and mow ” I have endeavored to 
become enlightened on the principles of farming from 
every quarter possible to obtain such enlightenment 1 
have sought information from our most successful plan 
ters — and my success has been a series of disappoint 
menta. One of the most snccessful planters answered me 
that he " had no system at all ” — But to Corn cuLUvation 
Will you or some of your “scientific” or “bundling” 
readers inform me and no doubt, many others equally as 
ignorant, which of the roots which supports the growth of 
the Cam plant, supports and matures the ear of Corn 1 
Is the «ar made by the lateral roots which exten<l and 
ramify the earth between the rows or is it made by the 
” brace” roots from the joirfts of the stalk above the 
ground 1 — Can any of your readers answer these ques 
tions practically and from personal knowledge and ex 
periment! If they can, let us have the benefit It is 
perfect folly that we should continue on inoi r blind mode 
of cultivation, if it be possible that our “ eyes could be 
opened’ — upon these questions hangs the whole practical 
operation of Corn making. We grumble at Providence 
for the want of rain in due season — when we are to blame 
for our own ignonnee. I am an advocate of “ deep plow 
ing” — never have seen a field yet plowed “ too deep," but 
with all the “ deep plowing,” I am sausfied we never 
make as much Corn as we could, were it known and 
thoroughly understood, which roots make theearof Conti 
I am also an advocate of “ broadcast surface manuring f 
because I believe we gain the whole strength of the ma- 
nure by spreading upon and not under the soil ! — and no 
matter to what decision we may arrive in regard to the 
“ lateral or brace roots” of Indian Corn in producing the 
crop, the broadcast manure would answer either case, 
but would be much better in the supply of the “ lateral 
than in the “ brace” roots -although the benefit would in 
a measure accrue also to the last named. 
JCBV. 
Oglethorpe County, Jan. 1, 1859. 
Old Proverbs. — B» tier be the head of the yeomanry 
tban the tail of the gentry. 
There is many a good wife who cannot dance or sing 
well. 
You will neucr have a friend if you must have one with- 
sfailing- 
BKJEEDING IN-AND-IN. 
Editors Southern Cultivator.— I am pleased to see 
that in your December number, you have an article oa 
this vexed question', taking the side of breeding in-and-io, 
which you truly say is in opposition to the opinion gene* 
rally prevailing among practical breeders. Nevertheless, 
people generally are not so wise that they cannot leara 
a little more, even upon this subject People genercMy 
adopt their conclusions, on intricate questions, without 
very patient or critical investigation, and are very oftefl 
in error. 
There doubtless have been many very careful experi- 
ments in reference to in-and-in, and cross breeding; but 
the particulars of such experiments have not been made 
so public, that people of limited reading, like myself, can 
find a description of them. The books abound in expres- 
sions of opinion that the one or the other practice is the 
belter— and general assertions that, after much expe- 
rience, the writer has found that in-and-in breeding will 
not do. 
But when we enquire of the two opposing parties what 
they mean by the terms in-and-in and cross, we find that 
there is very little disagreement. John Sebright is re- 
ported to have said, in reference to in and in breeding:— 
“ I have no doubt that, by this practice being continued, 
animals would, in course of time, degenerate to such a 
degree as to become incapable of breeding at all. I have 
tried many experiments by breeding in and in upon dogs, 
fowls and pigeons. The dogs became, from strong span- 
iels, weak and diminutive lap-dogs ; the fowls became 
long in the legs, smail in the body, and bad breeders.® 
Yet, when asked to explain, he said he did not consider 
breeding from parent and child as in and in, because the 
child had only half the blood of the parent; but breeding 
from brother and sister, he observed, “ is certainly what 
may be called a little close;” yet this he thought would 
not be objectionable, were they both good, and the per- 
fections of the one promised to correct the defects of the 
other. “Much furihtr than this,” he adds, “the system 
of breeding from the same family cannot, in my opinion, 
be pursued with s^ifety.” 
This is certainly coming very near to the opposite side 
of the question, of which Mr. Bakewell is probably the 
most distinguished representative. I have somewhere 
seen an expression attributed to him, which puts the 
whole subject in a nut-shell. On an occasion w.hen sev- 
eral breeders were discussing this question, one ot the 
number, alluding to the well known fact that Mr. Bakn- 
wellhad produced many poor sheep, notwithstanding his 
eeneral success, asKed liim if he believed in breeding itt- 
and-in. The reply was I believe in breeding from 
the best I can get.” Do not the two antagonisms meet 
herel 
After this long prelude, permit me to give you an item 
of experience of my own — a mere grain of sand upoa 
the great sea shore 
Eight years ago I resolved to try the experiment of ft 
cross between the Shanghai and the common fowl ; know- 
ing it had been often asserted, by breeders of some noto- 
riety, that it was not possible to establish and perpetuate 
a bird by crossing two distinct varieties — that the Deity 
had placed a barrier against such a result — and that the 
decline and final extinction of such a breed was the cer- 
tain result. It is well known, however, that our best 
domestic animals have been produced by just such crea- 
sing. 
But when the experiment is confined to a single p^ 
son, great obstacles have to be encountered. The evils rf 
close in-and-in breeding, if there are any — the limited, 
field for selection, being confined to his own stock — the 
want ot change and variety in the rearing and entire cob- 
dilion of the animals on trial — and the certain tendency H 
