138 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
GAS I.IME AS A FERTILIZER. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Will you please tell 
me if lime that has been used for obtaining gas, if applied 
to land will increase its production of corn, cotton, or po- 
tatoes— say apply it to common gray pine land. If you 
think it will pay, please say how it should be applied, and 
how much per acre? 
I must find something that I can use that will increase 
the natural production of my soil, or I shall be compelled 
to migrate West. I cannot figure it up so as to make 
guano or any of the foreign fertilizers profitable at present 
prices of what we raise tor market, viz : corn, wheat and 
cotton Any information that you may give me will be 
most thankfully received. 
Most respectfully, William Ellis. 
Oglethorpe, Macon Co., Ga., Feb. 19, 1859. 
On poor land, gas lime would be a quite uncertain fer 
tilizer; still, if it can be had at a small cost, it is worth a 
trial. If made into a compost heap with decaying veget- 
able matter, the chances of its acting as a manure would 
be increased. If not composted, it should be carefully 
and evenly spread and then plowed in and well incorpor- 
ated with the soil before planting, or sowing wheat or 
other grain If brought at once into contact with seed, 
gas lime sometimes contains poison enough to kill the 
germs of young plants when they begin to grow. Com- 
posting, or mixing with the soil, avoids this danger. Ap- 
ply some20 bushels per acre, more or less, as abundant or 
otherwise, L. 
THE “WILD OLIVE,” OR “MOCK ORANGE.” 
Editors Southern Cultivator— The value of this 
beautiful evergreen is either not generally known or cer- 
tainly not sufficiently appreciated at the South, particu- 
larly upon cotton plantations. It is usually planted and 
trimmed as a hedge or kept as an ornament for the gar- 
den or flower yard, where it fails to discover to its daily 
admirers its real merit and value, as a fruit tree, particu- 
larly to that important animal of plantation demand and 
consumption, the hog. At this suggestion probably some 
one might be tempted to laugh, as not being a very im- 
portant matter after all. But let us see. Since your fields 
have been thoroughly gleaned of everything by your 
stock of all kind, and the forest has been diligently search- 
ed for every remaining acorn, piggy has been depending 
for his sustenance upon the extent of your corn crib and 
your providing agency. Having now nothing to hunt 
for, he piles up in his dusty bed under your shelters and 
stables, much to your displeasure and his disadvantage. 
Turning a deaf ear often to the morning and evening calls 
to his scanty repast of corn which he knows and feels is 
not sufficient for his appetite, and rather than be tempted, 
prefers to remain in his sleep, and when aroused by the 
feeder, gives forth that peculiar wheezing cough readily 
recognized and omii^ous of the fatal event. And if you 
have not provided winter pastures, this period of the year 
of which I now speak is the drear dreaded period on our 
cotton “plantation desolation.” It is about this time you 
hear planters inquire for the price of bacon, and solemnly 
avow kis cheaper to make cotton to buy meat than to at- 
tempt to raise it; piobably, too, owning three or four 
times more land than they cultivate. Now, at this im- 
portant juncture of affairs, fifty or a hundred of these trees 
in your avenues or lanes would busily employ sows and 
pigs in picking up the ripe, nutritious berry that has 
patiently hung upon the tree until February and March i 
to be thrown down b> the frolicksome, merry birds and I 
every passing breeze. The berry is ripe now, and will 
lasr, your hogs tor employment and food, until the mul- 
berry blackens the ground. And other fruits hasten on 
in rapid succession and the crops of oats, wheat and peas, 
with Natnre’s liberal forest supply, fill up the year, and 
not much corn fed away at last. 
But some one will say that the leaves of the wild olive 
will kill cows. None but famished cows will eat the 
leaves of this tree enough to kill them. There is no doubt 
but in the spring the leaves are charged highly with pru- 
sic acid, and are excessively poisonous to cattle. But I 
will state that upon my plantation they grow exposed 
and can be readily reached, but I have yet to lose a cow’ 
from them. The berries, though, will not kill birds nor 
hogs ; but come to them most opportunely, and to the 
latter are exceedingly nutritious and I have thought, medic- 
nal to the hog in the lousy lethargic condition in which he 
is found at this season of the year. This tree is found 
upon our water courses, and in the sv/amps, but in the 
crowded condition there found they do not bear much 
fruit But planted isolated with room, as any other fruit 
tree, I have yet to see a cron fail to appear and drop 
gradually in February, March and April. 
Bsman. 
Birdsville, March, 1859. 
STANFORD’S WILD OAT GRASS. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — When I informed 
you, some three years since, that this was the greatest 
grass of the age, it was the truth, and no mistake, nor 
has any one who purchased seed and given it a fair trial 
been mistaken. And I now say that 1 believe it to be the 
best grass for pasturage and for hay in the world. It 
need not be sown on the same ground but once in five or 
six years; will produce four tons of hay of the best qual- 
ity to the acre, and for pasturage, it is a beautiful w-inter 
green, six to eight inches high all winter. 
The only mistake I made about it was, that I threw it 
open to the public before I had a peck of seed to dispose 
of, and thereby greatly diminished the fair compensation I 
ought to have received for its discovery and cultivation. 
For the present year I have reduced the price of seed to 
SlO per bushel (see advertisement, which will be found on 
the cover of this paper) and will most cheerfully return the 
money to any purchaser who will cultivate and sow it as 
directed, and will afterwards write me, on honor, that he 
has done so, and that he is not perfectly satisfied that the 
grass is no humbug — got up for speculation. I say this 
because^ have had five years experience with the grass, 
and one of your correspondents some years ago pro- 
nounced it a “Morus Multicaulis” humbug without hav- 
ing even seen or tried it, and simply so decided because 
the seed was high priced 
I have received letters from several persons to whom I 
have heretofore furnished seed and who reside South 
from Virginia to Texas, and who freely give their opinions 
of the value of this grass over all others, which opinions 
are annexed to the advertisement. 
Respectfully, John R. Stanford. 
[Our own experience with the grass of Col. Stanford, 
was somewhat limited; but altogether favorable. We 
think it exceeding good for this climate. — Eds.] 
Lice on Fowls.— Should lice infest your nests, sprinkle 
in them cut tobacco, and they will slope for parts un- 
known, instanter. Take my word for it, when I clean my 
chicken coop§ I springle in them a strong decoction, and 
every louse soon disappears to parts unknown. I have 
1 cleaned sitting hens of them, where no tobacco had been 
I used, that were covered with the “tarnal critters” — in four 
hours not one of them was to be seen. 
