124 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
generally worked over before we plow our corn. The 
modus operandi of the after culture of the cotton would be 
too lengthy for this communication. We cultivate from 
twenty -five to thirty acres to the hand, besides smallgrain 
enough for our families, raise our own meat, and make 
from five to twelve bales to the hand, weighing 500 lbs., 
and, in a lew instances, have exceeded that amount. 
This plan of farming has been followed here for ten 
years with uniform success. 
The South Western Railroad is nearly completed 
through our county. Lands are plentiful and cheap 
enough. We have flourishing schools and Colleges. 
-Smooth Western Georgia is healthy and productive, and 
holds out a great many inducements for emigrants. 
B. J. B. 
Shell Rock, Randolph Co., Ga., Ftb , 1859. 
BERMUDA GRASS. 
Editors Southern Cultivator— Whilst I am ever wil- 
ling to do all I can to promote the best interests of my 
fellows, I do not relish farmers — planters if youlvill — 
using a fictitious name either when seeking information 
or in holding up the tricks of traders. I like an open field 
and a fair fight. 
No one objects more to have his name before the public 
than myself, and if feeling was alone considered, it should 
not be given. Of course, there are those who attribute to 
me other motives, but 1 can only say, “evil to him who 
evil thinks.” I can understand why a gentleman would 
dislike to see his name bandied about, but 1 cannot feel, 
appreciate any glory or honor in it, unless he gives up to 
an evil, that a greater good does result— to him an evil in 
using his name, to the public good. 
Some of your correspondents, in former numbers, call 
on me for information. Cheerfully I give it. 
The history of tlie Bermuda can be found in books. 
My knowledge of it is : in 1819, 1 think, Mr. Aynesly 
Hall, then a merchant in Columbia, S. C,, doing the most 
extensive business, brought this grass from the East Indies, 
I think was said, and my father, being at that time in 
daily association with him, procured a portion and plant- 
ed it in our yard, between house and kitchen and garden. 
Since writing this much, I now think it was before 1819, 
for said yard was a perfect math of this grass, and I think 
the children played thereon before our father’s death— in 
1821. 
I have the Bermuda now, and have had it here, brought 
from 3 or 4 different points, among them St. Jago de Cuba. 
1 brought it here knowing all the “bug-a-boo’' stories ofit, 
and my friend, Mr G. D. Harman, is engaged in prepar- 
ing and forextending its culture. I have made over 1500 
pounds of cotton and 40 bushels of corn from acres, where 
if the grass was let alone for a year it would cover. 
As to Meadow Grass, Mr. John Farrar may have never 
seen Bermuda Grass in a favorable location, nor kept as 
meadow, for mowing, and still his never seeing such, does 
not make Mr. Affleck nor myself story-tellers. Until after 
a rich piece of land, well prepared and fully set in Ber- 
muda fails to grow high enough to be a mowing grass, I 
hope Mr. Farrar and “Parara,” will not doubt. Col. 
Knight, of Adams county. Miss., had a sample in 1842. 
I think, at a Fair in Washington, brought to convince me 
that it grew high enough to mow — fully 12 inches high 
and over. The land was shown me, on the south of a 
bayou, and subject to annual overflows. The part 
where Mr. Affleck gathered and sold largely, was rolling 
land, growth almost entirely Magnolia, and rich enough 
to brag on. 
I think it can be eradicated. Have always had too much 
to do to try. A freeze, they say, at 20° will kill it, but 
we cannot have all the roots exposed, even by two, three 
or four different plowings and freezings. I would advise 
to plant land thoroughly, say in oats, sow down 1 1-2 to 
3 bushels of oats per acre, the more that the land will 
bear the better, enough not to need tillering to make a crop. 
When oats are removed, plow thoroughly and sow peas 
broadcast, 3 to 6 pecks per|acre, and harrow thoroughly. 
This will destroy it, in my opinion, in three years, (where 
the plow touches); around trees and stumps, &c., it will 
not. 
As to varieties, I never saw but one Bermuda. I saw, 
in the immediate vicinity of Augusta, what was called 
Bermuda, but one who knew the thing pointed it out, ten 
feet off, as not, and another as the thing. On poor spots 
it does not look as it does on rich spots As to its value, 
I would not be without it. Acre for acre, it will feed 
more mules, horses, cattle, sheep and hogs than will corn 
and a Cob Crusher thrown in. Yours, '&c., 
M. W. Philips. 
Edwards, Miss., Feb., 1859. 
THE HUMAN VOICE — ITS EFFECT ON ANI- 
inals. 
A correspondent of “The Field,” says: — '• No sound, 
however loud, whether produced by a cannon or a fowl- 
ing-piece, causes the same amount of terror amongst wild 
animals and wild birds as the human voice. I have al- 
ways known more grouse to be sprung by sportsmen 
speaking to their dogs, or to each other, on the mountains, 
in the shooting season, than by any other cause: and it is 
a rule of mine only to make use of the whistle and signs 
to my dogs, such as taking off my hat, &c., and a wicked 
or cross look has often more good effect upon a dog than 
a whipping. So, likewise in snipe-shooting, one word 
spoken, springs more birds than twenty shots. If you 
go to a rabbit-burrow to ferret,|you may bang away all 
day with your gun and the rabbits will still bolt; but 
once commence speaking and your sport is over, the fer- 
ret lies in, and the rabbits submit to certain death sooner 
than to move towards your voice. Patridgesare so much 
accustomed to the loud voices of farmers and laborers, 
that, generally speaking, you may talk as much as you 
like in pursuit of them. Nothing proves the power of 
man over the brute creation more than his voice. Even 
in the thickest jungles, wild beasts will skulk away if 
they hear him speak.” 
PROFITS OF farming — ONCE MORE. 
Land.... ._ 9,000 
Negroes 20,000 
Stock, Provisions, &c 4,871 
Total S33,871 
Amount sold from farm during the year, em- 
bracing all articles S6,395 70 
Increase of negroes 850 00 
Increase of stock, &c 390 90 
. S7,635 70 
Expenses of all kinds .$2,103 17 
$5,532 53 
16 1-2 per cent, on capital is $5,504 04 
Leaving $ 28 49 
Editors Southern Cultivator — For the last preced- 
ing three years I have given, in the Central Georgian, the 
result of my farming profits, &c. In 1855, I made 10 per 
cent; in 1856,8 1-2; in 1857, 12, and now, in 1858,1 
have made 16 1-2 per cent, on capital invested, as you 
will perceive from the figures above. This is no guess 
work. I Ireep an account of all expenses attending the 
