338 
SOUTHERN CULTIVAROR. 
THE PHILOSOPHY OF SPOUT. 
BY MACKaY. 
Bear lightly on their forelieads, Tiiue ! 
Strew roses on their way, 
The young uj heart, however old, 
That prize the present day, 
And, wiser than the pompous pround. 
Are wise enough to play. 
I love to see a man forget 
His blood is growing cold, 
And leap, or swini, or gather flowers, 
Oblivious of his gold. 
And mix with children in their sports. 
Nor think that he is old, 
I love to see the man of care 
Take pleasure in a toy ; 
I love to see him row or ride, 
And tread the grass with joy. 
Or hunt the flying cricket-ball 
As lusty as a boy. 
All sports that spare the humblest pain, 
That neither maim nor kill; 
That lead us to the quiet field, 
Or to the wholesome hill, 
Are duties which the pure of heart 
Religiously fulfil. 
Though some may laugh that full-grown men 
May frolic in the wood, 
Like children let adrift from school ; — 
Not mine the scornful mood ; — 
/ honor human happiness, 
And deem it gratitude. 
And though perchance the Cricketer, 
Or Chinaman that flies, 
His Oragon-kite with boys and girls. 
May seem to some unwise, 
I see no folly in their play, 
But sense that underlies. 
The road of life is hard enough. 
Bestrewn with slag and thorn, 
I would not mock the simplest joy, 
That made it less forlorn ; 
But fill its evening path with flowers, 
As fresh as those of morn, 
’Tis something when the noon has passed 
To brave the touch of Time — 
And say, “Good friend, thou harm’st me not 
My soul is in its prime — 
Thou can’st not chill my warmth of heart 
I carol while I climb.” 
Give us but health and peace of mind, 
Whate’er our clime or clan, 
We’II take delight in simple things, 
Nor deem that sports unman, 
And let the proud, who fly no kites, 
Despise us if they can. 
TO DESTROY MOLES. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Soon after a rain or 
when they throw up their hillocks, press them down even 
again and at the hours of six, nine, twelve and 3 o’clock they 
will pass again, take' a hoe and dig them out. Quit^ 
a number may be destroyed in a short time ; any ordin- 
ary sized garden may be cleared in a fev/ days. 
Yours, Otho. 
CHINESE SUGAR CANE AS A FODDER AND 
SUGAR PLANT. 
Editors Southern Cui.tivator — I am very glad to 
learn from the last number of your periodical, that the 
Chinese Sugar Millet (Sorghum Sacoharatum') is now giv- 
ing general sutislaction. i am not at ail surprised that it 
so often has been pronounced a “humbug,” for it so much 
resembles the common old-fashioned “Chicken Corn,” 
that I would have thrown it away myslf, had I not acci- 
dentally noticed its richness in saccharine matter. The 
syrup, which I recently have tasted, made from this Yil- 
let, is excellent, and I hope the cultivation of it will soon 
spread over a large portion of the South. 
Besides its qualifications for syrup and sugar, I think it 
will prove a rich and excellent forage plant. 
In the beginning of May, this spring, I planted the 
‘Chinese Sugar Millet,” near by a row with “Egyptian 
Millet.” Drouth killed the latter ; it was replanted ; 
came up, and was killed again by the protracted drouth, 
while the “Sugar Millet” did not seem to be in the least 
affected. I will not say that it grows out better than 
the “Egyptian Millet” after being cut down, but it grows 
out well enough to be considered a first-rate forage plant, 
worthy of the attention of the planting community. Con- 
taining a great amount of saccharine matter, it is very 
nutritious, and will form an excellent substituie for “pul- 
ling fodder,” to say nothing of its vast promise as a syrup 
and sugar producing plant. Robt. Nelson. 
Maeon, Ga., 1856. 
DOMESTIC ECONOMY-OVERSEERS. &c.-A FEW 
THOUGHTS ON SUBJECT. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — In ray recent ramb- 
lings through a goodly portion of our planting region, and 
in conversation with leading planters, I know nothing 
that surprised me more than the want of a just estimate 
upon what I hold to be proper domestic economy. 
It is very true that I passed through usually the poor 
districts of country, public roads being on such lands. 
It is also true that “making money” is what we are all 
after, and upon ordinary lands, we are all too prone to 
make the money article, the one thing to be looked into. 
But making, as far as I am competent, due allowance for 
all this, I am constrained to declare, there is too littleatten- 
tion paid to the sm.aller matters of domestic economy than 
is right, proper or prudent. Much of this I must attribute 
to our overseer system. I intend not to cast any reflec- 
tions upon that class any more than upon the other class 
who employ, nor to give praise to the class who employ 
not, I mean to say plainly and only what is my opinion, 
and upon it to risk all to the people. There are overseers 
more competent to carry out the detail of a plantation than 
we are, or even to direct ; these richly deserve praise and 
the earnest solicitation of all of us, to aid in advancing the 
cause. There are others who would soon be at the head 
of their business, if planters had a proper appreciation of 
them and their individual interests, whilst there are over- 
seers who only care for the wages and do as little as pos- 
sible to preserve their place, 
I have met with quite a number of planters who say 
they have tried overseers until they are sick and tired. I 
would just here say to employers, much ot this is your 
own fault. You employ doctors, lawyers, merchants and 
mechanics, &c,, &c., at sucli prices as are full and re- 
munerative, whilst the two most important positions in 
