SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
371 
in many instances I have concluded if those diseases were 
not propagated, they, at least, were rendered more malig- 
nant and fatal among our black population, by crowding 
many to sleep in the same room, and it, perhaps, in a filthy 
condition. 
The result of breathing air that has been once respired 
and, consequently, deprived, in part, of its vital principle 
(oxygen), and at the same time charged with the perspir- 
able exhalations from the skin cannot, in a longer. oi 
shorter time, fail to enfeebl ' the “vis vatal,” and prove, in 
the sequel, a source of disease. Consequently, we suggest 
the propriety of building houses of a reasonable si~e, ac 
cording to the number of the family that is to occupy it 
Two families should not occupy the same apaitments: 
besides injuring their health it has a lendancy to injure 
the morals. And, moreover, these negro houses should 
not be built in an open field. 
We prefir the woods — the shade of the trees has some 
effect in warding ofi’ the solar rays in summer and tin 
piercing winds of winter, and, perhaps, the malarial ex- 
halations of autumn. We would farther suggest th.it once 
our buildings ate erected no large clearings of land ann 
cuhivating the soil near the houses be effected Deaden- 
ing timber, clearing land and cultivating the soil, all tend.'- 
to render a place sickly. 
We have noticed (with but few exceptions) the very 
year large fields are put under cultivation near the re.si 
deuce, that that year was noticed as a sickly one. Prof 
Dunglison in his recent work on the Elements of Hygiene 
suggests the idea, and supports it by good evidence, that 
the turning up the soil by the plow is productive of febrih 
■diseases. And on page UlO of said vol , is a letter, wr.r 
ten by W. S Whipple, MD., Surgeon in the Uniief^ 
States Army, in which he says, “When he w’as statiornd 
on the Wallamette River, in Upper California, the Indian' 
hold that they were strangers to disea-e until the whitc> 
come among them to inhabit And ihe oldest white in- 
habitants or settlers among them, wlto have been tl eo 
more than thirty years, atiritmte the appearance of dis- 
ease (fever,) to the turning up of the soil for agii ultuia’ 
purposes. They say, in , my of their River retjions iht 
sticking a plow or hoe into the ground is followed 1)) 
ague at certain perods of the year, as invariable as thi 
thunder clap succeeds a fi ish of lightning. Thesestate- 
inents, of course, are made by men ignorant of medica' 
philosophy, but in matter of fact their statement can be 
relied on, as much as persons more enlightened, especial- 
xly when we consider they have no theory to support and 
are free from the strong prejudices and fallacies of reason- 
ing which often arise fi orn this source.” 
If such have any weight it must prove an additional ar- 
gument to build our own dwellings and that for our 
slaves where the tree has not fillen and where the plow 
and hoe have not dishevelled the virgin soil. 
The woods around our houses might be burned ever\ 
spring nfter circumscribing by a rake the limit or extent 
we wish burnt. A damp time should be chosen when i' 
is quite calm, so as to prevent the fire set out f oin .spread- 
ing b( yond our limit. By thus acting, rnu' h matter ihai 
would prove as a source of malaria the coming autumn 
will be destroyed and the danger of an unexpected fiie 
prevented. 
Gin Houses and Stables, both a source of malaria on a 
plantation, ought to be placed at some distance from the 
dwellings We have noticed large collection of cotton 
seed near the dwelling emanate an odor while in a stat^ 
of putrifaction sufficient to produce disease. The staltle- 
should be kept supplied with straw of some kind to serve 
the dou lie purpose ofcornfirt to stock, absorption of their 
excrements and formation of manure for our crops; thev 
should be freshly supplied every one or two months and 
the filth removed at some di'tance to the fields and placed 
in heaps to undergo the rolling process. 
OCCUPATIONS. 
Often have we noticed laborers on a farm taking night 
time to accomplish s-uch business as ought to have been 
performed through the day, thus explosing them to night 
air or depriving them of “Nature’s sweet restorer — balmy 
sleep,” which is so very necessary to the preservation of 
good health. Slaves should be prevented from too much 
visiting or sitting up too late at night. A regular hour 
'hould be prescribed for retiring and rising The estab- 
lished maxim — 
^‘Early to bed and early to rise 
Makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” — 
will apply to the fi"ld laborer as appropriately as fo any other 
'■lass. By so doing, we get the nap before midnight which 
!s generally thousiht to be doubly as beneficial ms when 
taken in the latter part of the night Many times dur- 
ing our professional avocation, have we had placed under 
our care female slaves laboring under diseases peculiar to 
their sex, and they were so friqnent that wc were led to 
investigate t’ne cause, and the re.sult of such a search has 
forced the conclusion, that many of those diseases were 
produced by mismanagement at or soon af er their ac- 
couchment, or from straining and lilting heavy burdenSv 
^tn h indiscretions produce female disorders that ever af- 
ter render her barren, or entail upon her different de- 
crees of uterine displaci ment, that produces a waterj 
discharge from theijenital organs, which can prove nothing 
Out a source of misery and stiff-ring to herself and a use- 
less burden to her owner Now, as bfing heavy bur- 
dens and severe straining is often attended with such ef- 
fects on the female, such as rolling logs, rnakinj; f*-nces„ 
lifting heavy rails. &c , we recommend the avoidance as 
much as pos&ilde of sm h business. Let that kind of planta- 
tion work be set aside for the males. We would a!.'>o re- 
commend very careful management at and after coti^ne- 
ment, both for the safety of the mother as wr II as child., 
bet such ram dn in door, sewing, patening, making chil- 
ilren’s clothes, from tour to five weeks. 
Thus have %ve given a few hints in rfferenee to the 
preservation of health «>n our Southern [ilantatioris, in- 
tending what has been ailvanced to apply more ptirticu- 
larly to the s'ave population. Such h; s hern the tu'id- 
narksthat have directed om conductarnony our ow n g- 
►-ver since agriculture ha- bern our pursuit and engaged 
oor aitention, and that has been f r near twenty years. 
Wenre aware that the field is wide and the siii j- ct de- 
■serves mote at'ention than we have been a' Ic to devote 
to it, and would lain hope these f<-w observations may 
►-licit investigation from stronger minds and abler peas 
than ours. 
Angnsta, Ga , 
CULTURE OF BROOM CORN. 
In reply to the inquiries of several correspnnder.fs on. 
ihis su'iject, we would say that the selection of a >o.t 
idapted to it, and its f)r«ip< r prepmaiion to receive the 
seed are of prime importance, It is sometime-s said thaC 
iny soil in which Indiin corn will grow will answer far 
iroom corn This is hardly true. Cold, siitfand wet 
Und must be avoided, and so must that infected with the 
roots or seeds of wee Is. Brouin corn is naturaHv slew 
in its early growth, and needs a warm, rich an! finely 
pulverized soil Nor will it always suc-eed without a 
little help from some concentrated lertil zer, as Guano, 
And after it has got a start, it cannot contend with wceds^ 
like Indian corn. If the firmer issounwi.se as to plant 
It in a soil full “foul stuff,” he must expect to faboir hard 
ind perseveringly to subdue the weeds, or they will sub- 
lue his broom corn. 
We say, then, choose a warm, rich, clean, portion of 
the farm, alluvial land, if possible ; manure, plow and 
