SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
175 
appointment in grafting the Pear on the Haw. I have 
experienced more favorable results. The stock I use is 
the large Red Haw, common in the woods. I grafted 
about a dozen Apples and one Pear on a bearing Haw, 
perfectly decapitating the stock. Some of the apple 
grafts grew the first season over five feet, and one ma- 
tured an apple. The pears had grown, up to some time 
in August, about four feet, but then had the misfortune to 
get broken off. The tree is now healthy, the stock mak- 
ing no effort to throw out branches of its own. I have a 
row of year old dwarf Pear trees ki my garden, all on 
Quince Stocks, save the finest one, which is on the haw. 
There is some difficulty in getting healthy haw stocks 
from the woods. They have not made the necessary 
root arrangements for being transplanted from the shaded 
copse to the open garden. No doubt from the nature of 
things, that Seedlings raised in the garden would be much 
preferable on account of the large r”.nber of fibrous roots 
they would develope. 
I have written much more than I intended. I V'’’ll try 
to avoid the same fault next time. 
Sylvan: s. 
Sumpter County, Ala., April, ’’859. 
COTTON SEED CRUSHER, &c. 
Editor Southern Cultivator — I see you speak of 
“Crushing” Cotton Seed for manure, in a recent number 
oiihQ Cultivator. How is it done'? I am satisfied that 
planters lose a great deal of very valuable manure by 
throwing out their seed in the fall and letting them lie in 
large piles — heated almost hot enough to take fire — until 
spring. If they could be killed, at a small expense, by 
crushing, they might be housed until time for banking 
out, and then put in the ground, when the valuable mat- 
ter given off during decomposition would be absorbed and 
saved. I have tried several plans for using them, but the 
only one that saves all of their strength is a little trouble- 
some, and most farmers will neglect them until it is too 
late. Planters need information in regard to their man- 
agement of cotton seed. Can’t you give it '? 
Where and at what price can I get the “Cotton Planter’s 
ManuaH” Yours truly, M. H. B. 
Cedar Town, Ga., 1859. 
Reply.— Rowe’s large Crusher, (heretofore described 
in our paper,) would, we think, effectually crush Cotton 
Seed. Will Col. John Bonner, of Hancock, give us his 
experience '? You will find Prof. Jackson’s analysis of 
Cotton Seed in present number, and the price, &c., of 
“Cotton Planter’s Manual” on page 153 of our last num- 
ber (May, 1859). — Ed. 
GUANO — DOES IT EXHAUST EAND ? 
Editor Southern Cultivator — Having seen it stated 
lately in several agricultural papers, that the constant use 
of guano would exhaust the potash, soda and magnesia 
in the soil, and entertaining an entirely different opinion, 
(although I have never used it) I most respectfully ask of 
those who entertain the opinion that its use will exhaust 
the soil of the above-named salts, on what reasons their 
opinions are founded 'I Although, as above stated, 
I have never used guano ; yet its analysis Las induced me 
to believe that-its use will not exhaust these salts in the 
soil. 
If I had ever written any article for publication in a 
paper I would most willingly produce arguments and facts 
to sustain my opinion ; but, never having done so, I do not 
feel disposed to do so at the present time, but in support 
of ray opinion I will only ask of those who entertain a 
contrary opinion a few questions, the proper solution of 
which will, I think, satisfy them that my opinion is cor- 
rect. The sterile sands along the coast of Peru, by the ap- 
plication of guano, have produced fine crops of corn for 
ages. Boussingault raised peas in perfectly fine sand, 
moistened with pure water. Now, as neither corn or 
peas can be raised without potash, soda and magnesia, 
and, as these salts do not exist in the atmosphere, the 
question naturally arises, where did those salts existing 
in the corn raised on the above-named sterile sand and 
Boussingault’s peas come from 1 They must have come 
from somewhere, and the question is, from whence came 
they 'i The proper solution of this question will convince 
every impartial mind that the use of guano will not only 
not exhaust the soil of its potash, soda and magnesia, but 
on the contrary, that it is one of the best substances they 
can apply to them to increase the supply of potash, soda 
and magnesia for their crops, rendering free and soluble 
that which, before its application, was locked up. Light 
upon the action of all manures upon the soil is what all 
we planters desire; we want the reason why and where- 
fore this or that substance applied to the soil will be bene- 
ficial or hurtful to our crops, and not men’s opinion un- 
supported by reason. He who can solve the questions I 
have asked will at once see the action of the alkalies on 
the soil ; he well knows that guano is rich in ammonia 
and that ammonia is alkali, and be convinced that its use 
will not exhaust the soil of the salts I have mentioned. 
An acre of the most perfect barren sand at the depth of 
six inches contains thirty tons of potash. Now, we will 
suppose that there is taken from an acre of such land an- 
nually 1600 pounds of cotton and this, cotton contains, in 
round numbers, 19 pounds of potash, (see Turner’s Cot- 
ton Planter’s Manual.) How Jong will it take this quan- 
tity of cotton, annually taken from such land, to exhaust 
it of Its potash to the depth of six inches '? And when ex- 
hausted to this depth of its potash, soda, magnesia and 
other salts there will be little remaining of this six inches 
of anything ; then we have another six inches to operate 
upon when the first is gone, and when the second is gone 
we have another, and another, until we reach the sollid 
rocks. The most perfect sandy barrens are composed 
mostly of potash, lime, magnesia and soda, potash being 
the largest portion. Then as long as we have land to stand 
upon we have tons upon tons of potash, &c , in the soil ; 
but this is a digression from the question. Where did the 
potash, soda and magnesia come from that the corn 
raised on the barren sands mentioned contained '? and the 
same salts contained in Boussingault’s peas '? 
If you think this worthy a place in the Cultivator, you 
can put it in ship-shape and give it to my planting breth- 
ren for what it is worth. It may be the means of induc- 
ing some more able mind than my own to investigate the 
action of manure, and especially the alkalies, on the soil; 
if so, it may result in benefit to the planting community. 
I am, most respectfully, yours, 
J. M. Meriwether. 
Mount Elba, Ark., April, 1859. 
THE FARMER. 
No dread of toil have we, or ours, 
We know our work and weigh our powers. 
The more we work, the more we win, 
Success to trade. 
And to the spade. 
And to the corn that’s coming in ; 
And joy to him, who o’er his task, 
Remembers toil is Nature’s plan — 
Who working, thinks, 
And never sinks 
His independence as a man. 
