294 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
THE SOUTH — HER STRENGTH, RESOURCES, 
»&c. 
Editors Southern Cultivator— Tome it is past com- 
prehension, how our people are clamoring so much about 
that which only keeps prominent a set of noisy politicians. 
Much talking about the repeal of the absurd laws on im- 
portation of Africans; true it seems to reflect upon us, but 
no sane man believes anything of “piracy if language 
be true, the very idea carries its own negation ; then 
comes up equality in the South and North as regards in- 
fluence, reminding me of the fable of Hercules and the 
wagoner. Why should we not close up our mouths and 
goto work to bring about equality'? “We cannot!” 
That is the language of the slave, of the indolent, of the 
craven. I assert we can, and if you and other editors of 
the periodicals of the South will be true to our own inter- 
ests, it shall be done in 10 years. Suppose the North 
have the advantage in numbers, in voters, what of it '? 
The time was when the South had influence, not for her 
votes, no sir, she had in union, a talent, a devotion to 
home; her independance gave her position. The North 
has gained not more the supremacy in numbers than in 
control of our finances, our machinery, making our sup- 
plies from a pin head to the costly carriage. We are as 
devoted a people to the cotton bale as ever were the 
worshippers of Baal. 
And, like all such idolaters, we glory in having the 
wheel of Juggernaut to run over us. 
Our preachers preach up to us peace, lawyers (all are 
politicians) counsel some one side and some the other, as 
their judgment leads them to believe they will be promoted, 
agricultural writers spin long yarns of chemical affinities, 
political writers, like the sea bird rejoicing in a blow, are 
keeping up abstractions. The few feeble voices who 
counsel building up home are too tame — no smell of gun- 
powder, no tinsel, or red flannel— they are never heard. 
We have Conventions, gas, resolves, &c., like clouds 
without rain, to deceive. 
Imagine it possible that my adopted State, your adopt- 
ed State, would to a man attend to his own home inter- 
ests and as wise men should do, not look to what people 
will say; what would be the result in 10 years'? Can 
either of us conceive the result 1 I think not. ff it was 
not that my neighbor made 8 bales of cotton, 10 or 12 or 
15 bales to the hand, few of us would so exert ourselves. 
We would pay more attention to our homes, rear stock, 
make bread and meat, fix up little comforts and provide 
luxuries, though we sold less ; yet, as our wants would 
be fewer, we would have more cash — that is, few wants 
to satisfy, we would need less to buy with. 
As it is, we must discard an old carriage and buy a 
finer one, throw away steel forks and supply silver ; 
change our furniture once again, and our clothes three or 
four times, everything else in the same category, build up 
the North, feed the flies that gain strength to destroy our 
vitals. 
No machinery South, and if one is simple enough to under- 
take it he is a by-word — a theorist. No grass for stock, 
“ain’t it our business to kill grass.” We are the veriest 
dependants on earth, and no wonder we are vassals. 
None is so great a slave as him who has not the spirit to 
be free. 
Give me 10 or 12 men of spirit and energy in each State, 
start wagon making, wool factories, cotton factories, shoe 
factories, hat factories, paper factories, free each one from 
taxes for 5 or 10 years ; every man who makes his corn 
and meat give him a bonus in form of reduction of taxes, 
make State expenses to come more out of the extra ex- 
travagances — no aggrarianism; I detest it as I do the 
worship of a cotton bale— give every inducement to those 
who would build up home, give credit to the man who 
increases the fertility of his broad acres; yield no palm of 
excellence to him rnerelj^ because he grows 10 or 20 bales 
per hand, unless it be connected with an improving soil 
— which will not be for years at least. Discountenance 
the principle which inculcates as a first, a leading ques- 
tion — “how many bales per hand'?” but let it be: what 
is your increase per acre? how many children raised? 
how much corn, meat to spare ? Give me this, the better 
policy, and I will guarantee with my head, that the South 
though she be a mere fraction, will rule the destinies of 
this great nation. We are running off farther and farther 
from the policy that governed our people half a century 
since. 
I remember well when it was the policy to make not 
only bread and meat, raise horses and cattle, but to make 
the plantation clothing, and no idea of sending abroad 
for a plow, or v/agon, harrow, &c. Now, how is it ? 
Shame, where is thy blush ? Even our shirts and draw- 
ers are not made at home. And, sir, be it known, even 
negro clothing is made at the region of sunrise and sent 
out here towar.ds the setting thereof. I have seen a fac- 
tory with 50 to 100 sewing machines, driven by steam 
power and attended by Yankee galls, making up negro 
clothing. 
Where are we drifting to? Where should we drift to? 
Do we deserve any better ? Oh ! for a few people and a 
new country, where we could make our dying bed and be 
away from such a people, recreant to any duty. Sacri- 
ficing the best spot of creation to mere indolence of mind 
and body. Possessed I the mind of a Webster, Calhoun, 
Clay, Preston, Harper, Prentiss, &c., &c., I would visit 
every court house in the entire South and harrangue our 
people to duty. I would pray them, cease calling on 
Hercules, put your shoulders to the wheel, make our 
homes independant and bring the world to our feet. 
P. 
August, 1859. 
STANFORD’S WIL.D OAT GRASS. 
Rev. C. W. Howard — A year or two since, I sent you 
a small parcel of my Wild Oat Grass seed, that you might 
see whether it suited your lime stone country. Did it fail 
with you, or did you neglect to try and see what it was 
worth ? or have you lost the seed ? If so, I will send you 
another parcel, as it is, beyond doubt the best grass for 
all purposes that has as yet been cultivated, and can be 
cultivated at less expense than any other grass, either for 
hay or pasture, and of this I have assurance from many 
farmers from Virginia to Texas, who have tried it. I see 
by the South Countryman, Southern Cultivator, and the 
Field and Fireside, that Orchard Grass is recommended as 
the. best grass for all purposes ; but, having, for the last 
five years, cultivated both these grasses, as well as all 
others that have a good reputation, 1 differ in opinion with 
those who recommend the Orchard Grass, because the 
Wild Oats will do better and produce a better crop than 
any other. 
Because it affords a winter pasture. 
Because it will last and produce a luxuriant crop for 
five years upon the same ground without either labor or 
manure, and because it will accommodate itself to every 
soil and climate so far as it has been tried. I have not 
tried it on wet lands nor in the woods, but believe it 
would do well, or as well as any other grass in either, 
except that on wet lands Herds Grass might do better. 
For these reasons I write you, in order to ascertain 
whether you tried an experiment with the seed I sent you, 
and if not, so as to again send you some seed. 
In every part of the country where I have sold or given 
seed I receive the highest commendations of it, and I do 
believe that its discovery is the greatest discovery of the 
age as to grasses. 
I am pleased to see that you have become co-editor ff 
