SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
149 
posed of, and whether the support of the place in shape of 
necessary expenses was greater than the income, or 
whether there was any, and what profit from the year’s 
operation — we ought to know these things. 
Another point to which I wish to direct attention is 
this : Have any one of your numerous readers ever tried 
the experiment to satisfy themselves whether manures, 
cotton seed, compost, lot and stable manure was most 
profitably applied in the raw or fermented state, rotted or 
unrotted, killed or unkilled — this is, I think, a very im- 
portant inquiry, and one that every man may determine 
for himself. I say from my experience, put in raw and let 
the process through which decomposition is effected take 
place in nature’s store-house, whereshe may garner up for 
future use the different ingredients that are generated in 
the process, and hold ready for the drafts of the crops as 
they grow — I do not understand the operation chemically, 
but I know enough to satisfy myself that by every opera- 
tion of this character, new properties or principles are 
produced from decomposition and combination, and the 
earth will retain them. By the other system they are pro- 
duced, but are, in a great measure, wasted by careless- 
ness. I have heard persons say they had found manuring 
unprofitable and not worth the trouble, as often doing 
harm as good ; so, also, I have heard persons wish there 
was not a lawyer nor doetor on earth; the one made liti- 
g'Ution and the other killed patients; it may be so, but if 
so they are necessary evils, and if we would dispense with 
their services we must reform at home by obeying the 
laws of the land and the laws of our being. So we must 
avoid the evil of manuring, by keeping the heart in our 
land from the first bread the world musi have, and pro- 
fits we like to have. 
Another point and I have done, for the present at least 
Can I learn from some reliable data what are the com- 
parative merits of the different systems of management'? 
the first, of cutting down, defacing and destroying earth’s 
comely visage ; the destrective system or its opposite ; the 
rearing up, adorning and improving our legacy ; the con- 
servative system ? I have observed, or think I have, a 
very singular and significant fact in this connection, and 
that is: that more fortunes that stick are made, and made 
as fast by the last than the first. One would suppose 
that with a virgin soil in a new country, with nothing to 
do but cut down, plant, gather and sell, and invest, with 
little to expend fur comfort, and nothing for fashion, that 
overwhelming fortunes would be made. I think, however, 
that few of the “first settlers” accumulate, except by in- 
vestment in land speculations ; and in looking back to 
oiys“native State” (worn out and deserted by are 
as many estates accumulated under no better circum- 
stances than in a new country. The secret I think will 
he found in the fact, that they have made a step in the 
right direction— in the way of improvement. There are 
ia this region a few noble spirits who have act their faces 
against the vandal system, and are fhst establishing their 
fmitk by their works] for most men naturally prefer, as a 
■eaiter of pride, fat horse*, hoge, cowe, &c., with cheerful 
«»d healthy slaves, and good horsas, with good kitchen 
garden — and — and — and a few flower-spirita as adjunct, 
provided the profits are as good — this ia the problem they 
-are demonstrating. “Clifton.” 
SHADE IN AGRICULTITRE, AND ITS EFFECTS. 
• Skadt km$ tnort trtdit with many farmert thmn it dttmrvtsf'-^L^ 
Editors Soutiier.v Cut.tiv.^tor — Such is the beginning 
of 3d paragraph, page ‘JO of the March number of the 
Cultivator, and to said remark I would say : — What credit 
many farmers give to shade, I know not, never having 
seen anything that leads me to think any undue credit is 
given. Having for many years had my mind directed to 
this matter, I am inclined to think that it has a material 
influence. Reading of mulching, of deposits of nitre in 
caves, cellars, &.C., 1 concluded that shade had something 
to do, besides being a protection from evaporation. 
Some years since, when travelling, I was in Alabama, 
and walked into a gentleman’s plantation to look at his 
crops, &c., I was directed to a luxuriant growth of cotton 
on a poor hill, inquired the cause ; could only be account- 
ed for from the fact that small pine poles had laid there foj 
a time, the bark stripped off and after lying there a year or 
two, was raked up and burnt. The decay of the bark did 
not satisfy me, as it had decayed but little ; burning did 
not, as the ashes were on a small spot. I then concluded 
that, all together, and shade bad caused deposit from tko 
air, and gave the luxuriant growth. 
Again — a few years since I had a large quantity of ry« 
straw^and concluded to spread it over a poor piece of land ; 
done in the fall ; in the spring, raked all up and removed 
to stables, lying there 4 to 6 months, the crop evinced a 
marked difference. 
Again — I have imagined that I have seen quite a differ- 
ence from a pile of lumber on a spot, where it had been 
in pile for perhaps a year, and am certain of a difference 
where limbs of a tree had been piled up, cut off of treer 
after foliage had fallen. 
An intelligeet friend of mine who travelled from Cal^ 
fornia home across the Isthmus, gave me a vivid descrip- 
tion of what he saw, and among other things referred to 
the denseness of the shade, and the growth of timber, &c^ 
a part of the very fertility, I was green enough to think 
was due to the shade, for I had thought the action of 
heat and light on rich land kept clean would go much to 
destroy it. 
1 desire not to enter the lists against L., he is one for 
whom I entertain much respect and to whom I pay much 
deferrence — that is as much of both as my nature will ad- 
mit — I cannot but doubt any and all when I am not satis- 
fied, it matters not if the tallest of the race of Adam. I 
believe any shade is better than none, provided it be not 
one that may draw off fertility, though some articles would 
be better than others. I would ask if it is only the qual- 
ity of the oak, hickory and walnut leaf that enriches '? If 
so why not the same quantity aid the land when plowed 
in 1 
I am willing to be instructed ; if wrong I want to ba 
right. 
Admit that the fence rail rots fastest on the earth, but th« 
richness will then be only under the rail and a little each 
side, but the advantage stops not there. I ask more light 
and hope L. will favor me, for indeed, I deserve to get all 
I can, not many want more, nor feel the want deeper. 
Yours, &c., P. 
Mississippi, March, 1856. 
CULTURE OF COTTON-CLOSE PLANTING, ETa 
Editors So»tiijirn Cultivator — Tour February nunii!» 
her did not reach me until yesterday, at the same tira* 
your March number. In the former you ask for informa- 
tion or rather an article on cotton culture. It is now too 
late, nor do I feel willing to attempt it, yet I will offer a 
hint. I think you say somewhere, that there is nothing 
new in culture. Why sir, if drawing row* closer together 
and leaving more stalks in the row is not, comparatively 
speaking, new, I do not know what is. Many are falling 
into it. I saw, yesterday, some 90 acres of rich low 
ground plowed into 5 feet rows, land deadened 3 or 4 
years. This land 10 year.s,'aye 5 years since, would have 
been laid off at least 6 feet and many think 7 feet would be 
right. The owner plants for 1:20 bales; this is the first 
year. 
But another suggestion. Plow deep is the rule — and 
the exception, make no farrow under the centra of cotton 
