126 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
drouth comes, or a wet season sets in, and one’s luck is 
cursed, and infidelity springs up in the heart. Planters, 
is not this more or less the case every year '? It has a 
remedy, but that remedy can only be found iu a more 
tliorough tilth. The true principle is to plant less of every- 
thing, and cultivate what you do plant thoroughly, and, 
rely on it, your profits will be greater. The quaritity 
grown may be smaller, but the superiority of the article, 
and the enhanced value because of that superiority, will 
over balance gxQdXly— Southern Rural Gentleman. 
CHINA BERRIES POISONOUS TO HOGS. 
Editors Southern Cultivator— Having experienced 
a fact, existing, in relation to the berry of the China tree, 
I have concluded to communicate the same to you, that, 
perchance, through the Cultivator, I may get the 
experience of others and learn a remedy, or, if none is 
known, perhaps sufficiently elicit the interest of others, 
to ascertain, by experiment or otherwise, something that 
would save our pigs when we find they have been eating 
these berries; for it is a fact that they will kill small pigs 
very soon, and, occasionally, old hogs, if they get too 
many ; and those under a year old are not unfrequently 
killed by them. The effect they produce on hogs seems 
to be similar to that of strychnine on dogs; it deprives 
them of the use of their limbs for some little time before 
killing them, causing them to drop down frequently and 
suddenly with their feet doubled up under them, when in 
that position they seem to be easy, but on attempting to 
walk they show great uneasiness and restlessness, until 
down again, when they soon die in that way, without ap- 
pearing to suffer any at all. 
Now, have been losing a few pigs every spring for 
several years in this way (and usually the fattest are most 
aot to die from them) without having my attention par- 
ticularly called to it until recently, having a fine lot of 
young pigs (just beginning to eat corn well) in a field 
where those berries were growing, and beginning to miss 
them, I found they were dying from eating the berries. _ 
1 had that trees immediately cut down and the berries 
all removed, since which time I have lost no more pigs. 
If you think this worth noticing in the Cultivator, you can 
give it a place therein, or call the attention of your readers 
to the subject and oblige a subscriber. 
Very respecfully, F. G. Stickney. 
Havana, Green Co., Ala., Feb., 1859. 
MEASURING CORN IN BUEK. 
Editors Southern Cultivator— In the March number 
ofyour valuable paper, just received, I notice your cor- 
respondent, “W. C. K.,” has endeavored to apply, without 
success, the four rules for measuring corn in the bulk, 
(crib, pen, or house) which appeared in your January 
number, on page 10, and proposes that some one inform 
him, how much is contained in a crib 20 feet, long, 15 feet 
wide and 9 feet deep. Having had some experience in 
making such calculations, I was induced to examine those 
rules, and found rule the 1st to do very nearly for shucked, 
or shelled corn, but not for corn in the shuck. The 4th 
rule is sufficiently correct for all practitical purposes. 
The 2nd and 3rd rules are both incorrect, when compared 
with the former. The 2nd making more than contained 
in a given bulk, and the 3rd much more than the 2nd. 
By the 1st rule for (for shucked corn) the above named 
crib will contain 216 barrels. By the correct short rule, 
multiply the length, width and height together in feet and 
their product by 8, then cut off the right hand figure, and 
divide by 5 to turn it into bbls. (432). Ifthe corn is shucked 
take one half, and add a half bushel for every hundred 
barrels, and you will have 217 barrels. If the corn has 
tne shuck on, one- third of this product (432), when the 
half bushel is added, will give 145 1-3 barrels [(fractions 
omitted.) If shelled corn, 432 barrels. 
Rule the 4th is very nearly correct, as the dimensions 
in inches are to be calculated, and then divided by 2150. 
To make it perfect, multiply the length, width and height 
together in inches and divide the product by 2150.40 (a 
Winchester bushel) and you will get the precise contents, 
in bushels, of any crib, pen or house. 'The crib named 
above, of 20x15x9, by this rule, will contain 217 barrels 
of shelled corn (fractions omitted), and the same quantity 
as rule the 1st, after deducting for shuck and cob. 
As corn varies so much in quantity of shuck and size of 
cob, it is impossible to make a precise calulation for any 
other than shelled corn. In this section of country the 
custom is to take off one-third for the shuck, and one-half 
of the remainder for cob. But when the shuck has been 
partially taken off, or the cob larger or smaller than usual, 
the buyer and seller can agree between themselves as to 
the deduction. In the absence of a special contract, the 
customary rules govern. 
If you think the foregoing will be of any value to your 
readers, I shall be repaid for the time consumed in giving 
the correct rules for measuring corn in the crib. 
Yours very respectfully, R. B. N. 
February, 1859. 
FISH PONDS. 
Editors Southern Cultivator— Some years ago there 
was a good deal said in the CiCltivator about “stocking 
any waters with any desired kind of fish. Can it be 
done'? If so, can we raise White Shad in Mississippi'? 
We can make ponds here from 10 to 15 feet deep, sup- 
plied entirely by rain water. _ _ 
It is some time since we had the pleasure of sitting 
down to a dish of fresh fried shad. We remember, too, 
that the Rock Fish was very palatable, fresh from the 
waters of Pee-Dee. 
If such a thing is practicable, where and how can we 
get the stock 'I And some directions, as to food and 
management of fish and pond, will be very acceptable, 
(as many things in the Cultivator are) to more than one 
of your subscribers. Very truly, J, C,, M D. 
Port Gibson, Miss, Feb., 1859. 
[We have not room, in present number, for tlie details 
of Pisciculture required by our corrrespondent ; but may 
give a chapter on the subject hereafter. Dr. Garlick’s 
work, published by A. 0. Moore & Co., 140 Fulton st.. 
New York; and “Artificial Fish Breeding,” from the 
press of D. Appleton & Co., New York, contain a great 
amount of information on this subject. Ei s ] 
Hungarian Grass —A correspondent of Emery's Jour- 
zl, says: 
“You ask if Hungarian Grass is profitable for extensive 
iltivation. I affirm that it is. First, one acre sown to 
ungarian Grass will yield as much as two acres of 
imothy, and the hay is as good as common hay and oats, 
orses at ordinary work require no other feed, and it will 
lake their coat look sleek and glossy. Second, there can 
5 two good crops grown on the same ground in one sea- 
m of 4 tons per acre. I think one ton of it as good as 2 
ms of Timothy. My experience in growing it is : It wants 
ryland; harrow the ground once before and once after; 
ill it by all means, as that is of the most importance. 1 
Dw one half bushel of seed to the acre for hay, and one- 
lird of a bushel fur seed. Cut jt when the seed lias grown 
) full size, and cure as long again as other hay = stack 
b 11 and top it up with Slough Grass, 
ithout it after he has used it once.” 
stack 
No farmer will dO' 
