335 
SOUTHERN C 
and strongly defined angles. These are the supposed 
minor and apparently lost sight of details, which develope 
startling beauty, and add permanent elegance to the com- 
position. 
The architect who has mastered the science of the five 
orders, not infrequently becomes so indued with their for- 
mal requirements, as to be incapable of making desirable 
departures to secure that utile et dulce and unity of ex- 
pression, which peculiar situations imperatively demand, 
and wittiout which, domestic architecture is extremely un- 
satisfactory. 
Architectural qvAd nuncs ignore the humble cottage, 
and bestow their machiavelian talents on the more preten- 
tious villa. Their enterprises in humble dwellings are 
sporadic, and when attempted, are of that quasi descrip- 
tion, involving the eccentricities of a feudal hybrid or a 
stunted church. The rural habitation will not submit to 
too much taiming and drilling and citified etiquette. It 
should partake of the romance and poetry of the landscape. 
It should in fact, be genius loci of its neighborhood. 
The Swiss Co'tage with its umbrageous roof, its endless 
veranda ics simple decorations and grotesque finials, 
looks bc Mpiest suspended from a mountain side. 
Grecian architecture, for which a great partiality exists, 
is decidedly unfit for domestic purposes, and only seems 
to be in proper character, reposing in some quiet back 
street of a city, there to afford shelter to the pedantic gen- 
tleman, who instills classics into reluctant urchins. Gre- 
cian architecture is too stiff to associate with trees. Its 
staid pillars, unbroken shadows, its heavy frowning en- 
tablature, looks uncongenial, uninviting, and seems as it 
would instinctively recoil from the caressing embrace of 
scandent vegetation. People whose prejudices for rural 
houses in the Grecian style, are imperishable, should study 
art-consistency, and enliven their abodes with that fossil 
gardening, OiS hortus siccus, literally dry garden. 
The Tudor Gothic, bold, picturesque, expressive of pu- 
rity, generously consents to abide on the lawn, smiling on 
the trees, and attempting to appear as much like a vast 
pendulous evergreen, as the dignity of its duties will 
permit. 
The “ Old English Cottage” dwellings, are apt illustra- 
tions of that poetic expression, which artists so frequently 
render in their landscape efforts — giving zest to a picture, 
implicating the house of man, with the milder romance of 
nature — but which, in technical phraseology, is styled ru 
ral adaptation. The old Enslish, is a conglomerate of the 
pointed style of Henry VH, and the Tudor Gothic of hss 
successor. Al hough mongrel and heterodox, it is not 
chaotic. It is so unpretending, so nnuchalani, so cosy, 
and withal, has a ptomiscuousness unexampled by more 
classic details Bcdbre the cot, m-.y hap several huge elms 
riot in a profuseness of branches and foliage, .and shade, 
brqueathed in refreshing installments. Every convenient 
crotch and bough is appropriated by those “sovereign 
equatiers,” known as rooks; clamorous noisy ihirigs, bui 
for which, they do expiation in the shape of savory, rook 
pies. Auxiliary to the great fostering .elins, are minor 
ehru 13 and trees of the ornamental and fruit bearing spe- 
cies, mi;cellanet)u>ly inter.spersed, foranng laiiyrinths and 
Eeqnesiering the cottagers from the bu-y woil iwiihoor 
Tne cot itself, is altogether ovei wheimed with a drapery 
Of ivy and other rnniimg vines, embracing each o lier 
quite lovingly An one! wii dow bHirs f .r a pissing no- 
tice, and a furtive doorway, wi h roef d (lorc.fi. f siooned 
vidi roses an! clematis, iv/odtsily asserts ns cl .bn to a 
moiety oi* ad. niraiiou Perched a! Tt and looking down 
upon the fiirtive doorway, and enj -ying tne sm rounding 
pros[)ect, is that irievitab'e appen :age, the dormer win- 
dow ; a ni 1 0 w, hazy light is melted over the s<-ene, sofuy 
blending presi nt joys vviih future fdiss. Pi)ilosci[diy ! 
the ueme of thy tearhing is here, for what other atinbute 
of earih so kearly approximates our conceptions of the 
ULTIVATOR. 
world beyond the tomb, to mortality a perennial fount of 
delight. Witness the philosophy of the old English Cot- 
tage Home, in the buxsom gleesome little ones, whose 
voices cheerily ring out on the bracing atmosphere, 
whose gushing laughter reverberates in the contiguous 
maze, as the disport in the game of “ hide and seek.* 
Happy children make amiable adults. If this be not the 
philosopher’s stone, that mythical knov/ledge, it is certainly 
a happy substitute. 
C. Reagles. 
Columbia, S. C., Sept. 1857. 
HILL SIDE DITCHING — NEW LEVELING IN- 
strument. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — T send you herewith, 
a copy of the “ Hinds County Gazette,” containing aK 
editorial article, announcing the invention by myself of 
an instrument, the object whereof, is therein set forth. I 
hope to have it ready for sale by the first of January next. 
That it will fully meet the wants of the planters, wh# 
so much desire to attain a perfect system of “ grade ditch- 
ing and horizontal culture,” I hesitate not to affirm. Itia 
simple in construction — not liable to get out of order — 
easily and quickly adjusted for work, and certain in its ope- 
ration. 
To obtain an instrument which will insure accuracy and 
facility in its operation, is quite a desideratum, as any 
one will testify, who has experimented with the “ rafter 
level,” as it is called. 
My instrument is of convenient size for handling, being 
not larger than a Surveyor’s compass— can be taken to 
pieces and packed for transportation, can not wear out, and 
is not costly — thus making it within the reach of all. 
So soon as the “ level ” can be got ready for sale, due 
notice shall be given, with place, price, &c., &c. 
Jos. Gray. 
Raymond, Miss., Sept. 1857. 
“The Grade and Horizontal Level.” 
As the citizens of all this region are abundantly aware, 
the greatest difficulty with which our farmers and planters 
have to contend, is the constant “ 'washing ” to which their 
lands are subject from the moment they are put in cultiva- 
tion. Scarcely a plantation in Hinds county, probably, is 
entirely exempt from this annoying and perplexing fault; 
and, certainly, we have seen immense fields so completely 
riddled with “washes,” as to be abandoned as utterly 
worthless. In many instances, even tlie most careful and 
scientific management has failed to secure broad acres 
from this destruction — a destruction not unlike that which 
a waits the sandbar when its front is presented tothedash- 
ing, floods of the great Father of Waters. 
This natural charactei istic of our genial soil, is a source 
of immenee injuiy and serious loss tliioughout the upland 
region of Mississippi, to the State as well as to individu- 
als, and nutribtrless have been tlie experimenfs, and great 
the mechanic d and scienlifi • research, to discover a practi- 
cal and certain remedy. We now have tlie pleasure to 
annonn e, that an old citizen of Hinds county — and an 
eniitn ntly jar-ictical and clear-headed man — lias after 
nu nberless experiments, and ilmrcugh te.sts. invented an 
instrument whicli is pronounced, by iiio.se whose opinions 
on such subjects are cnrided to the mmust consiifeiation, 
the rery tkmg wmeh will put it in the pa wer of every tnaa 
n It nn*y to i-ecureliis land Irom tiie “ w.ishing " piocess, 
Uui also plac.e- it in sitcll comlitlon as to ju-lily him in ap- 
(il'ying TO it, when it may become somewhat r xliausted, 
any of the friibzers of the day, with the, a.s.surance (hat 
ih.y will remain where tin y ire placid, and iience amply 
repay him for his outlay and labor. 
The n. me of the ins rument to which weallude. is“7V/^ 
Grade and Horizontal Level," recently invented by 
