SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
159 
THE SOUTHEEN SEASONS. 
AN INSTRUMENT FOR TAEEYING. 
The excessively wet winters for the past few years, and 
the corresponding small amount of rain during our sum- 
mer months, are well calculated to produce apprehensions, 
lest in the grand operations of nature, our seasons may 
assume the marked wet and dry seasons of the torrid 
zones. Such a result would certainly be productive of 
disastrous consequences to the agricultural interests of the 
country. It is nevertheless a result, which nature may 
be capable of bringing about. The universe is a grand 
succession of changes in all of its parts, and it is not im 
probable that tendencies in the seasons, different from 
those formerly observed, is ominous of a settled order of 
things materially dissimilar to that which has hitherto ex- 
isted. 
The who^e face of the country has been greatly changed 
in our agricultural operations, ptid while the diseases and 
other things incident to climate, change, may not the sea- 
sons of rain and drouth be also affected by the same or 
similar causes. 
We advise our planters to prepare their lands, this 
spring, by deep and thorough plowing — for if the large 
amount of rain in winter betokens, as many suppose, a 
diminished quantity in summer, we shall have a dry sea- 
son for the next crop. — Madhon Visctor. 
The foregoing suggestions are judieious and well-timed 
There is nothing lost, be the seasons wet or dry, by 
breaking up deeply and thoroughly the soil. Superficial 
culture is the bane of Southern Agriculture. It will, how- 
ever, contiune until the proprietors of the soil shall give 
an enlightened direction and supervision to the details of 
plantation management. — Journal cf* Messenger. 
AGRICUETURAIi SOCIETIES. 
A very interesting sketch is given in the Patent Office, 
just published, of the origin, number, condition, &c., of 
the various State and county organizations in existence 
throughout the United States, for the promotion of agri- 
culture. 
The first agricultural association incorporated in this 
country was the “Society for the Promotion of Agricul- 
ture,” established in South Carolina in 1785, In 1791, a 
“Society for the Advancement of Agriculture, Arts and 
Manufactures” was founded in the city of New York, but 
it ceased to exist in about ten years. Next in chronologi- 
cal order is the “Massachusetts Society for Promoting Ag- 
riculture,” which was incorporated in 1792, and contri 
buted largely to the advancement of its objects. Some of 
its mombers, residing in the county of Middlesex, after- 
wards organized the first county agricultural association 
formed in the United States. Several other societies of 
the same kind sprung into existence within a few years, 
and in August, 1810, Elkanah Watson, of Berkshire, 
Mass., was instrumental in getting up the first agricultural 
fair ever held in America. From that time, efforts in be- 
half of agriculture received a new impulse, and associa- 
tions were soon formed in most of the older States, The 
“American Institute of the City of New York” was incor- 
porated in 1828, and the N. Y. State Agricultural Society 
commenced its useful career. At the present time, socie- 
ties or boards of similar character have been incorporated 
in nearly all the most populous Stales, bes'des numerous 
county societies, all having the same objects in view, mak- 
ing an aggregate of about eight hundred distinct organi- 
zations. — N. Y. Jour, of Com. 
^^The human heart revolts against oppression, and 
is soothed by gentleness, as the waves of the ocean rise in 
proportion to the violence of the winds and sink with the 
breeze into mildness and serenity. 
In looking over our Western exchanges a few days since 
we noticed an aecount of an invention which, it seems to 
us, must come into universal use. Indeed, it is singular 
that such an instrument was not made before this by a 
Yankee. It was devised for the tallying of lumber, but 
(as our Western contemporary, remarking upon it, says) 
“of course it will count anything that needs counting,” 
and will be most serviceable wherever it is wanted. He 
further adds : 
“It is contained in a rnetalic box, about the size of a 
snuff box, with a glass cover, and resembles a large sized 
pocket compass. There are three indicators, one over the 
other, pointing to three circles of figures — the first from 
1 to fOO; tke second from 100 to 1000; and third from 
1000, to an almost indefinite amount. A small lever, 
slightly projecting through a groove to the outside, oper- 
ates it, and lumber can be tallied with it, with the utmost 
rapidity and absolute certainty. 
“We have not, for a long time, seen an invention of 
more merit, or more likely to come into general use. It 
seems impossible to commit an error with it, unless by 
the greatest carelessness, and a cargo of lumber may be 
tallied by it, and the moment the last board is unloaded, 
the machine wdll show the precise amount of the cargo.” 
The inventor is John W. Arndt, of Green Bay, Wis- 
consin, a section noted for its lumber trade. The cost of 
making the invention, with the aid of proper machinery, 
will be but a trifle, though the cost of the one described 
was about S7. The Green Bay Advocate^ from which we 
Quote, hopes that “the invention will yield a handsome 
reward to the inventor, whose many fine qualities make 
him worthy of good fortune.” — Cornmercted Bidletin. 
FRAUDUEANT COTTON PACKING. 
Water-Packed Cotton.— Yhvee bales of water-packed 
cotton were discovered yesterday at the shed of Messrs. 
F Lane & Co., Union street. They were shipped to this 
city from LaGrange, by a cotton-buyer and hence the 
name of the guilty planter from whose hands they origin- 
ally c-ime has not yet transpired. As soon as known, 
however, we shall make it public, injustice to honest and 
respectable parties, who would otherwise rest under sus- 
picion, and also that the defrauded party may be known, 
and, if possible, brought to punishment. There are good 
and sufficient laws existing in Tennessee against this 
species of swindling, and the reputation of Memphis as a 
cotton market would seem imperatively to demand that 
they be put in execution against offenders without de- 
lay. The detection of frauds in packing are becoming al- 
together too frequent for the good credit of Memphis cot- 
ton bales abroad. — Avalanche. 
Alore Fraud in P<zc7ji?i^.— The Memphis AjspeaZ says; 
“Mr. Townsend lately received from White River, Ark., 
several bales of cotton ; all plated with good cotton out- 
side, and filled within with lower qualities. If the whole 
had been properly sorted and packed, it would have sold 
at the average of over eight cents a pound; as it was mix- 
ed it sold at only six cents. The roguish cotton planter 
has good reason to believe that “ honesty is the best 
policy.” 
Cabbage with Corn. — Mr. Brooks, of Princeton, at one 
of the Legislative Agricultural Meetings in Boston, al- 
luded to the practice of planting cabbage among Indian 
corn. He knew an instance where cabbage was planted 
in alternate rows with corn, and the cabbage sold for 
$150 per acre. 
