SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
337 
CONDENSED CORRESPONDENCE. 
Utley's Plow— Deep Tillage. — A very intellig-ent 
correspon Jet at Oxford, Ga., writes : 
Editors Southern Cultivator — My attention was favor- 
ably arrested by the diagram and description of Utley’s 
Plow. I have, for several years, had the impression that 
success in farming depends more upon deep, thorough 
plowing than upon anything else, I have acted upon 
this conviction in my planting operations, and, although 
my scale is rather limited, yet the facts and results of my 
experience show, beyond doubt, that more than half the 
planter’s prosperity and wealth are treasured up in the 
subsoil plow. It is a certain protection, and almost if not 
quite y the only one against the blight of drouth upon our 
crops, and the ravages of time-culture upon the “heritage 
of our fathers.” J R- T. 
Oxford, Ga., 1859. 
Killing Sweet Gdms. — Much has been said about 
killing Sweet Gums. The best way is not to cut round, 
but pile brush and chunks around them and let it remain 
until the tree puts forth buds and the leaves make their 
appearance; then set fire to the brush, and if it does not 
burn the bark off all round, make a fire so that the bark 
will be burned off all round, and the tree will die before 
the leaves then on it are grown, W. S. D. 
Fox Grapes — ( Vitis Labrusca .') — An experienced Po- 
mologist, of Upper Georgia, says, in a private letter to 
one of the Editors: 
I have no faith that we will ever get a first class Grape 
from the Fox family— all will have more or less of nigger 
stink, thick pulp and disposition to rot. But I have little 
doubt that the progeny of the Scuppernong will, some 
day, be all we can ask or desire. It has the true Muscat 
flavor and is exempt from every species of disease, in fruit, 
vine and leaf. .1 am going to raising seedlings from it, 
and next spring intend to cross it with the Muscat and 
some others of the best foreigners. 
The GRiPE in Texas. — A correspondent at Mission 
Valley, Texas, says : 
“ I arh going into the Wine Making business. The 
Grape does as w^ell in this immediate district as it can do 
anywhere — it grows much more luxuriantly than our 
pumpkin, squash and melon vines. The only varieties 
we have are the Catawba, Black Hamburg, iMalaga and 
El Paso. I believe all the varieties that do well with you 
will do well here. The Grape stands our drouths better 
than any other vine here, as yet.” J. M. E, 
Deep Plowing and Manuring — A gentleman of Burke 
county, Ga., writes us: 
“I am delighted with the Utley Plow, with your im- 
provements, as represented in the October number of the 
Cultivodor. * * * I have set out with the determina- 
tion to see what can be done on 25 acres of high, dry up- 
land, by ditching, underdraining, thorough subsoiling and 
the application of ^15 worth of Mapes’ Super-Phosphate 
to the acre. I am fully satisfied from an experiment made 
by me (as above) this year that I can raise a bag of cotton 
or 30 bushels of corn per acre the first year, and bring 
every acre thus treated in good heart, 
“With my best wishes for yours and the success of the 
Cv.ltivoior, believe me 
Truly yours, D.” 
D. Ponce, Esq , of Mount Zion, Hancock county. 
Ga., will please accept our thanks for several samples of 
very nice native Wine— Scuppernong, Catawba, Dever- 
eux, Warren and Black Florida, 
The “ Old ” Spirit of the Times. — It is only an act 
of editorial courtesy to our ancient friend, the “ O’rf” Spirit 
of the Times, and one of the oldest weekly papers in the 
Union, to say, that it is not identified or involved in any 
way in the controversy recently brought before the pub- 
lic through Porter's Spirit,” and “ Wilke's Spirit of the 
Times,” a mistake that is not altogeter unavoidable, the 
names of the papers mentioned being nearly the same 
The '•^Old” Spirit, as it is familiarly termed by its friends 
and subscribers, still flourishes, the leading journal of the 
Turf and of the Field, and we are happy to hear that its 
subscription list was never larger than at present, or its 
editors and publishers more prosperous. 
Delaware Grape. — We are again indebted to the kind- 
ness of Messrs. C. P. Bissell & Salter, of Rochester, 
N, Y., for a fine bunch of the Delaware Grape, which 
reached us in per.^ect condition after it had been some 
weeks gathered. We need not repeat that the Delaware 
is the very finest of all our Native Grapes, for the table, 
and that in delicacy of flavor, it is hardly equalled by the 
best Foreign varieties. It is better at the South than at 
the North, and should be in all tasteful collections. 
Mrs, Bounethead’s School.— The attention of parents 
and guardians is respectfully directed to the advertise- 
ment of Mrs. Bounetheau in present number. Mrs. B, 
has had much experience and great success as a teacher 
of young ladies, and we feel assured that her new Semin- 
ary will offer peculiar facilities for acquiring the graces 
and accomplishments of a polite and finished education. 
The “Practical Machinist” is the title of a very nec;t 
and tasteful weekly of 8 pages, published at 37 Park Row, 
New York, by T. H. Leavitt & Co. Terms Si per year. 
It will be found interesting and useful to all who are de- 
voted to the encouragement of inventive genius and 
mechanical skill. 
Sun Dials. — The attention o.^ our readers is called to 
the advertisement of Mr. W. W. Wilson, of Pittsburg, 
Pa. The Dials of Mr. W. are of the very best descrip- 
tion, and form a beautiful ornament to any country resi- 
dence. 
Bienville (La.) Fair — The Second Annual Fair of 
the “Bienville Parish Agricultural Society” was held on 
the 25th ult., at Mt. Lebanon, and we learn from a cor- 
respondent that it was quite a creditable display, and ex- 
cited much interest. 
Texas Grapes. — We learn from the New Orleans 
Picayune that in Caldwell county. Texas, the white 51ala- 
ga Grape, grafted on the common Mustang Grape of that 
State has proved a perfect success. No larger bunches, 
or grapes more uniformly ripe, than samples of these 
Texas grapes could be presented. A suggestive fact to 
our fruit growers. 
^^“Nothing prevents a person from being natural and 
easy, so much as an ex'reme anxiety to appear so. 
