SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
127 
THE “T031-BOY.” 
Some parents seem stiil to entertain the notion that 
young girls need no training except that of the mental 
faculties ; that their forms are of less consequence than 
their dresses ; and that a development of physical strength 
would impair their delicacy, and tend to make them mas- 
culine. By restricting their physical education and limit- 
ing their sphere of activity, they are condemned for life to 
•enfeebled health, and an aimless, idle existence. Let such 
parents ponder the truth exbodied in the following re- 
marks, which we cut from the Home Journal : 
“The ‘Tom-boy’ is an eager, earnest, impulsive, bright- 
■eyed, glad-hearted, kind-souled specimen of the genus 
Jemince. If her laugh is a little too frequent, and her tone 
a trifle too emphatic, we are willing to overlook these for 
the sake of the true life and exulting vitality to which 
■they are the ‘escape valves and indeed we rather like 
the high pressure nature which must close off its super- 
■ffuous ‘steam’ in such ebullitions. The glancing eye, the 
glowing cheek, the fresh, balmy breath, the lithe and 
graceful play of the limbs, tell a tale of healthy and vigor- 
ous physical development which is nature’s best beauty. 
The soul and the mind will be developed also in due time, 
and sve shall have before us a woman, in the highest 
5ense of the term. 
“When the ‘Tom-boy’ has sprung up to a healthful and 
vigorous womanhood she will be ready to take hold of the 
duties of life, to become a worker in the great system of 
humanity. She will not sit down to sigh over the ‘work 
given her to do,’ to simper nonsense, languish in ennui, 
or, fail sick at heart — but she will ever be able to take up 
her burden of duty. In her track there will be sound 
philosophy, in her thoughts boldness and originality, in 
her heart heaven’s own purity, and the ‘world will be 
better that she has lived in it.’ To her allotted task, she 
will bring health, vigor, energy, and spirits, and these 
will give her both the power and the endurance without 
which her life must be, in some respects at least, a fail- 
ure.” 
PROTECTION AGAINST DROUTH. 
The frequent stirring of soils between the rows is un- 
doubtedly a protection, and, in ordinary cases, sufficient 
protection against drouth. The air passes freely through 
soils frequently stirred; and whenever air comes in con- 
tact with a body colder than itself, it deposits moisture, as 
in a tumbler filled with ice water at the dinner table, or 
in particles of a soil at some inches depth, and conse- 
quently colder than the air above the surface. When the 
farmer sees his tumbler sweat, as it is sometimes express- 
ed, he may be assured that so it fares with the soil six or 
eight inches below a well-stirred surface, provided the soil 
were mellowed to that or a greater depth before the crop 
was put in. 
The great source of protection in our country is in deep 
plowing. On a soil of any decent consistency, it would 
be impossible that a crop should suffer from drouth if the 
soil were pulverized to a depth of fifteen inches, because 
the lower portion of such a soil would retain moisture till 
long after the surface should have received new supplies 
from the clouds. If our readers are alarmed at fifteen 
inches as a depth which they despair of reaching, we 
think them too easily alarmed, but still we will meet 
them on higher ground. A field thoroughly pulverized to 
a depth of ten inches will seldom suffer from the drouth. 
Abundant and reliable testimonies have been published, 
going to show that fields plowed to a depth of eight or ten 
inches have escaped unhurt, when other fields, equally 
well cultivated, with the single exception that they were 
plowed but half as deep, utterly failed ofgiving crops. 
That deep plowing is a sufficient remedy against any or- 
dinary drouth — any but the very longest and severest — is 
an established truth. — Plo^igh, Loom and Anvil. 
SHEEP — AND FISH PONDS. 
Editors Southern Cultivators — I have been on a 
plantation nearly two years, and, having become interest- 
ed in the raising of sheep deem it proper that I should 
give you my experience in that department of plantation 
economy. My little flock contains but 43 sheep, of which 
there are 3 bucks, 14 wethers and 26 ewes. They had 
proper attention, and were in fine condition all summer; 
and after the gathering of the crop the sheep were turned 
into the fields. 
Last September I sowed about six acres in barley, the 
ground having been made very rich by stable manure, and 
the lot has presented a beautiful appearance all winter. 
As fast as the lambs came they, with the ewes, were put 
into the barley lot ; and now I can show 36 of as fat lambs, 
and a little flock of as fat sheep as any one can. During 
the month of May next, I will separate the lambs from the 
ewes, so as to insure early lambs next year. 
In Fish Culture I have been very successful, and have 
caused to be made three ponds, which are supplied by 
bold springs of pure and limpid water; and, though I com- 
menced this department of the “pleasures of hope” less 
than twelve months ago, I think that I can show 20,000 
at any time. My “Loch Lomond” is the largest pond I 
have, it is 65 feet by 225 feet, with a depth of water at one 
end of 15 inches with a gradual increase to 5 feet at the 
other. This is intended for bream, trout and shad. 
In fruits, I have made a commencement, and at this 
time I have planted 1,300 cuttings of the finest Grape, 212 
choice x\pple trees, and 110 of the finest Pear trees. 
John C. Carmicpia'el. 
Greensboro , Ga., March, 1859 
FRICTION GIN GEAR. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Please allow me to 
answer, through your columns, several gentlemen who 
have addressed me on the subject of Friction Gin Gear. 
In the case reported to your journal there was no alter- 
lion in the relative size of parts whatever. Opposing sur- 
faces were substituted for cogs. That is all my present 
knowledge on the subject. Of course, however, such an 
arrangement will require the utmost nicety of wormanship, 
and in my own case (now progressing), unless I can se- 
cure a good workman, I shall stand by the cogs. I under- 
stand that this principle has been applied for many 5 mars 
in parts of the State, and would like, myself, to hear more 
on the subject from the more experienced. 
, Eesrectfully, T. 
Torch Hill, Ga., Feb., 1859. 
CHLOROFORM FOR BOTS AND COLIC, *fcc. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — In the Cultivator for 
November, 1857, I saw chloroform recommended for both 
the Colic and Bofs in Horses, About four weeks since, I 
had a horse suddenly taken very sick ; as I did not know 
what was the matter with him, I concluded to administer 
a dose of chloroform, which I did according to the direc- 
tion then given, and the horse was well in about half an 
hour, 
I will mention one other instance in which one number 
of the Cultivator has been worth, to me, ten years’ subscrip- 
tion. My wife never could make light bread, until she 
tried according to directions which she saw in your valu- 
able journal. Now she can make it most excellent, 
J. A. M. 
Louisiana. 
