7S 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
A word about “J.’s” '■'■crust''' (which is the only point on 
which we differ.) This "critst," (“being a series of small 
tubes,” as “J.” rightly says,) according to my theory 
raises the moisture by capillary attraction, and the mois- 
ture thus brought to the surface is evaporated by the heat 
of the sun; whereas, if the “crust” was pulverized, its 
power of attraction would be lessened, because, as “'J.” 
rightly says, “this loose, pulverized soil resembles a series 
of larger tubes.” 
Had I not been longer than I intended, I would give 
you my experience in plowing in the drouth of 1851. 
. . P- 
Suvvpterville ^ Ala., 1855. 
Give us your expeiience, by all means. An ounce of 
fact is worth a pound of theory. — Eds. 
SWEET POTATOES-PLANTING IN LEVEL GEOUND. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — I consider the article 
on Sweet Potatoes, in the April number (1855) of the 
Southern Cultivator, from the pen of Col. Wm. McKin- 
ley, worth (to me) 25 times what it cost. I have no 
doubt but you would confer a favor on many planters by 
republishing the article, as it did not come out in time last 
year for them to try the experiment. I happened not to 
have planted when I received the Cultivator with the 
above-named intelligence, and I tided the experiment, and 
am satisfied. I shall never plant them any other way. I 
succeeded beyond my expectations. 
Yours respectfully, J. M. Hatcher. 
Savj Dust, Feb., 1856. 
We cheerfully comply with the wishes of Mr. Hatcher, 
and give Col. McKinley’s letter below : 
Sirs — The old method of planting Sweet Po‘atoos in 
hills and ridges, in this dry climate and on our hard upper 
country lands, is all wrong. Potatoes must have moist'ure 
and soft earth to do well. But they lack both in the com- 
mon culture. Hills and ridges are the driest forms in 
which you can put the soil. Flat culture is the only 
right kind for Potatoes, or anything else, in our burning 
climate and on our clay uplands. Potatoes should be 
planted as flat, and may, in that way, be planted as easily 
as corn. 
First break up the land well ; then lay off rows 4 feet 
wide with a shovel plow ; run deep in the same track with 
a rooter, and then, if you want it perfect, deeper still in 
the same furrow with a common new-ground coulter. 
Next, list upon both sides of this in the same way ; that 
is, with shovel, rooter and coulter — one right in the track 
of the other. This makes deep work, and the deeper the 
better. It is soon done. Your ground is now ready — 
deep, loose and moist, and will keep so all summer. 
Now for planting and culture. With a rooter draw a 
shallow furrow on the top of the list, just over the first 
shovel track, to guide yon in dropping. In this drop the 
seed, cut roots, sprouts or vine-cuttings, 12 or 15 inches 
apart, and cover lightly. Plow them a few times, just like 
corn, running close to the potatoes with a rooter, and 
finish off each working with a cultivator, or some other 
plow to keep the middles flat. 
This mode of culture is not one-fourth as troublesome 
as hills ; the crop is wonderful. This is not theory, but is 
my constant practice. By this mode the vines never 
turn yellow; the crop comes forward early in August, 
and the owner has no chance to talk about “ small pota- 
toes.” 
ON THE CULTIVATION OF BROOM COEN, ETC. 
“J. 0. M.,” in the Country Gentleman of November 1st, 
wishes to know something about the raising of Broom 
Corn, etc. I have seen some cultivated in this neighbor- 
hood, and have made observations, and with your per- 
mission will give my opinion as to how I think it should 
be planted and cultivated : 
First — When it should he planted . We begin planting 
in Kentucky, about the 15th of April generally,* and can 
plant it even later than Indian corn, and make a pretty 
good crop. We think it late enough hereto stop planting 
corn by the 2Uth of May. But if I were to raise Broom 
Corn as a market crop, I believe I would prefer planting 
the first of May, for, if planted sooner, it ripens too early. 
Next — Hov) to plant. Have good corn land, and break 
it up well and deep. Now lay it off with a small plow, 
having the rows 4 feet apart; then take the seed and drill 
them along the row as you would English Peas, or not 
quite so thick, and follow with a two horse harrow astride 
of the row, and the corn is planted. 
How to cultivate. This should be done just like Indian 
corn, except in thinning. Broom Corn can be left about 4 
times as thick as you dare leave other corn, and then 
make a better crop, I believe, than if left thinner. 
The corn is generally ready for cutting by the first of 
September. This we do by first going along the row and 
breaking down the stalks, so as to get at the brush the 
more easily; then go along with a sharp knife and cut it 
off. Now it is ready to take home — spread tolerably thin 
on the barn floor, for if thrown in a heap while yet un- 
cured, it will be apt to heat and spoil. 
A cheap instrument for clearing off the seed can be 
make as follows : Nail a plank, about three-fourths of an 
inch thick and ten inches wide, to a stationary bench or 
something of the sort, letting it (the plank) run above the 
bench about a foot. Then take a saw and make teeth in 
the end of said plank like those of s comb, and we are ready 
for operations. Take three or four straws (as we call 
them) and draw them across the comb till they are clean, 
(pressing a little with one hand whilst you are drawing 
with the other,) making it ready for market or the broom- 
maker. Richard Young, in Albany Cultivator. 
Springdale, Ky , Nov., 1855. 
ADDRESS 
Delivered before the Colaparchee Agricultural Society at 
the Third Annual Fair. 
BY ROBERT NELSON, A. M. 
[Concluded from February number, pageAb.] 
I am now coming to one of the worst stumbling blocks 
in agriculture, viz: the proper method of working the soil. 
Surely, it is a pitiful sight to witness the land-butchering 
system already carried on for generations, and resulting 
in the ruin of the country. The miserable way of scratch- 
ing the soil a little with a scooter and dropping the seed 
among weeds and grass, might be expected from an un- 
civilized tribe, and ranges with the Mexican custom, 
where the farmer, after having sowed his crop in the rough- 
est way, pays a priest for blessing his labor, by which he 
thinks to have done all that stands in human power. But 
this rough manner is unworthy of a great and enlightened 
*In Georgia and the adjoining States, about the 20th of 
March. — Eds. 
