SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
ns 
developed the muscles of the arms and chest, and a rope 
to serve the same purpose for the lower limbs. If such 
simple exercises were practised daily withindoors and in_^ 
the open air by the youth of the country there would soon 
be a diminution in the many defects which mar the ap- 
pearance and impair the health of the Baltimore 
American. 
A WORD FOR THE SHANGHAIS. 
A friend, who never had the “fever,” writes us as fol- 
lows : 
I feel, and have done ever since reading Burnham’s 
“Hen Fever,” a strong disposition to speak in behalf of 
the abused Shanghais. Now I think very probable that 
at the North it may be too cold for them, and most of their 
stock may be of the long legged, no-bodied kind ; but 
here, almost in the very latitude of Shanghai, it would be 
difficult to find a more useful fowl. A good sized, well 
fattened chicken is fully equal to a turkey, and they ap 
proach it in size. Besides they are the best layers J 
know of I shall have to write an article on this point. I 
have been converted to this doctrine very unexpectedly, 
for I had many prejudices against them. W. N. W, 
To Prevent Crows from Pulling up Corn. — I scat- 
ter corn in the field broad-cast, which they feed upon and 
leave the seed. If I have too much company by my liber- 
ality, I soak the corn in strychnine and hot water. Last 
spring, after scattering half a bushel of corn soaked in this 
way, I picked up forty-two dead crows, and how many 
more went off feeling “kind o’ sick,” I am not able to 
state . — Coun try Gentlem an . 
COTTON PLANTING. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — My object in life is 
to render all the service I can towards the proper elevating 
of our race, and, believe improved agriculture tends there- 
to, next to the gospel and education. Perhaps improving 
agriculture might rank under the latter. I do not mean 
to propagate error. This is only a prelude to my asking 
of many planters to test on a small scale and report for the 
good of the whole as to the following : 
When bedding up for cotton do not run a centre fur- 
row. The water furrow during the past year has been 
deepened by the plow, say 4 to Cinches, and is not now 
too hard for roots of the cotton plant to dip down to its j 
depth of the plowed land. By turning into water furrow I 
two furrows and beddingthereon, onefurrowis saved and 
there is firm earth under the plowed earth. Make good 
Oeds thereon. My reason for calling attention to this is; 
I have tried it, others have tried it and better return has 
been the result. If it is a better plan, I want all to know 
it. I ask no patent right in agricultural improvement, I 
prefer to throw open all improvements. 
I have, for 20 years, advised throwing 2 furrows as 
early as possible, so as to have a firm bed to plant on, be- 
cause I found the cotton plant on such a bed to grow off 
faster and much less to die. All have noticed the plant 
on hard earth to withstand cold, &c., early, when in a 
soft bed it dies. | 
My plan would be, at last working run subsoil as deep 1 
in the water furrow as possible, preparatory for succeed- | 
ing crop, and I think a subsoil plow or a coulter, with a I 
small shovel or bull-tongue before it, would do well to 
work the young plant, the subsoil to go as deep as could 
be and the small shovel to throw dirt, not running so close 
as to break the bed under the plant. Thus giving to early 
roots a deep soil to run into. 
As to having the furrow underneath not broken, I re- 
peat, I have tried it and so have several others and with 
marked success. Yours. &c., 31. W. Philips. 
Edicards, Aliss., 185G. 
PNEUMONIA IN HOGS~S\VEET POTATOES, ETC. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — I have just been 
reading your valuable paper, and as I think I can answer 
some inquiries of your correspondents, 1 have concluded 
to do so, 
“Sam,” of Arkansas, wants a remedy, or rather pre- 
ventive for pneumonia in hogs. I have found Cayenne 
or Red Pepper to be both a preventive and cure for all 
such diseases in hogs. It should be boiled up with their 
food and given to them occasionally, when subject to dis- 
ease. I have found Nux Vomica an excellent remedy for 
weakness of the loins, kidney worms, &c., — one to four 
buttons will not kill a grown hog. 
“W.,” of Texas, has failed to raise a good crop of po- 
tatoes. Now, I am a Texan, and have had some experi- 
ence in cultivating the land he describes, and can probably 
give him a little light on the subject. I suspect that his 
land had a very thin productive soil upon the surface, 
composed mostly of vegetable mould, underlaid by asandy 
porous subsoil. He broke his land very deep (for he says 
he used three yoke of cattle) and so diffused or complete- 
ly scattered the productive particles of the soil through the 
mass of sand, and the land was so porous and loose that 
it would have been utterly impossible for the roots of any 
plant to reach and obtain from it nourishment sufficient to 
pruduce a crop. Texas sandy upland or timbered land 
when fresh, is too light and porous for the successful 
growth of any crop unless it is peas ; but, by being tiod- 
den and cultivated, it soon becomes more compact and 
will then produce very well. I prefer second or third 
year ground such as “W.” describes for Sweet Potatoes, 
and, as a general thingin Texas, it needs no manure to pro- 
duce a good crop if the season is favorable. Cow pen 
manure, as you advise, is sure to rot them if the season is 
wet — at least, such is my experience. 
I have a way of cultivating potatoes which I do not 
think is often practiced, and is much less troublesome and 
laborious than the common plan (and I never fail of mak- 
ing as good a crop as any of my neighbors). I also have 
a mode of preventing weevils from injuring my corn to 
any considerable extent. Both of these plans I would 
give, but they are so simple and easy that I have no idea 
that any one would try them. Vi. 
Evergreen, I'cxas, 185G. 
[Give us those modes, piv bono publico. Their alleged 
simplicity is, to us, theirstrongestrecommendation. — Eds.] 
GUARD DRAINS ON HILL SIDES, 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Your correspondent 
“W. R.” has called you out on two of the most important 
subjects to be found in agricultural philosophy, namely; 
the proper direction of the plow and the judicious appli- 
cation of manure. Had he embraced in his inquiries and 
remarks. Hill-side Guard Draining and Horizontal Cul- 
ture, he would have undoubtedly called your attention to 
the three departments of plantation economy, upon which 
the salvation of the South depends. 
Of the three subjects I'eferred to. Hill- side Guard Drain- 
ing is, beyond question, to my mind, the most important. 
It is as much impossible for the hill planter to increase, 
annually, the value of his farm without guard draining, as 
it is for human skill to make a world and throw it into the 
realm.s of space and command it to take its eternal flight 
around the centre of the solar system in harmony and 
grandeur with the other planets. He may make and apply 
compost manure by the wholesale, but if he constructs 
5,000 little ditches (water-furrows) across the field, up and 
down the hill, his soil will increase in barrenness, until 
starvation and want will drive him to a stranger land. 
To make and apply compost manure to one fourth of a 
