58 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
that which is refle ted from the happiness of an- 
other to which he has been, himself, instrumen- 
tal.” 
The Planter. 
If the picture which we hereunto annex had 
been drawn by any one else than one of our 
own Southern people, it might be set down as 
pure scandal; the offspring of malice prepense, 
as the lawyers say. Even il it were, it might 
be as well to republish it, that we might know 
something of what our enemies say of us. As 
it does not. however, come from that quarter, it 
will do no harm to examine it attentively, and 
see whether there is any resemblance between 
il and ourselves: and if there should chance to 
be any such resemblance, to seiabou correcting 
ourselves accordingly. 
From the Wetumpka Argus. 
“ A True Picture. — The following picture 
of a Southern planter, as we too olten find him, 
is from a Louisiana paper. There is a deuced 
sight more truth than poetrj in it. By and by, 
our planters will probably learn a little gump- 
tion, and then we shall be happy to see the pic- 
ture reversed, but until then candor compels us 
to acknowledge its correctness; 
“‘Now for th“ picture of the vlanler. He 
wouldn't seil a chicken, nor a dozen of eggs, 
nor a bushel of peaches, nor a call, for any con- 
sideration. He is that! He vniscs cotton 
— Ae does ! He rides in a six hundred dollar 
carriage, for which he is in debt. His daugh- 
ters thrum a piano that never will be paid lor. 
He buys corn which he could raise at ten cents 
a bushel, and pays sixty cents fur it, after ^ per 
cent, advance to commission merchant. He 
could raise his own tobacco, yet he pays $3 a 
pound for Richmond scented. He could raise 
his own hogs — yet he patronises Chicinnali. 
The consequences are disastrous. Being the 
possessor of o?ie staple, he fluctuates with the 
inarket of that article. He takes the ‘ Price 
Current’ — he pays postage — he gobbles down 
the English news like a cormorant. It he selhs 
to-day,'he'll lose— therefore he’ll wait for better 
advices. He is ‘ mixed up’ in cotton, and is a 
gambler therein. Mean time he wants money — 
drafts on his factor! He wants cotton goods and 
clothes for his plantation, that he could make at 
home. He orders them, and feels ‘ large.’ The 
manufacturer, the insurer, the shipper, the 
freighter, the drayman, the warehouse man, the 
seller, and finally the commission merchant, all 
have a finger in the pie of profits, and the proud 
foolish planter pays them all. The year closes, 
and he is ‘up to his eye-brows’ in debt! This 
is the result of his not ‘ calculating’ nor even 
guessing the difference between formers and 
planters. One supports a family— Vne o' her sup- 
ports until pride gets a fall!”’ 
That will do for a Lcui.^iana sketch. Now for 
one from South Carolina. If our people, after 
such raspings, do not mend their ways, they 
must be given up as a stiff-necked generation, 
lost beyond all hope of amendment. Mr. Gregg, 
of Charleston, says: 
“My recent visit to the Northern States has 
fully satisfied me that the true secret of our diffi- 
culties 1 es in the want of energy on the part of 
our cauitalists, a^d ignorance and laziness on the 
part of those who ought to labor. We need never 
look for thrift while we permit our immense tim- 
ber forests, granite quarries and mines, to lie idle, 
and supply ourselves with hewn granite, pine 
boards, laths, and shingles, &c., furnished by the 
lazy dogs at the North — ah, worse than this, we 
see our back-country farmers, many cf whom 
are too lazy to mend a broken gate, or repair the 
fences, to protect their crops from the neighbor- 
ing stock, actually supplied with their a.\e, hoe, 
and bro-am handles, pitchforks, rakes, &c-, by 
the indolent mountaineers of New Hampshire 
and Massachusetts, The time was when every 
old woman in the country had her gourd, from 
which the country gardens were supplied with 
seeds. We now find it more convenient to per- 
mit this duty to devolve on our careful fiiends, 
the Yaakees. Even our boat-oars and hand- 
spikes for rolling logs, are furnished, ready made, 
to our hand, and what jimcrackcan possibly be 
invented of which we are not the purchasers? 
These are the drains which are impoverishing the 
South — these are the true sources of all our dif- 
ficulties. Need I add, to further exemplify our 
excessive indolence, that the Charles! on market 
is supplied with fish and wild game by Northern 
men, who come out here as regularlv as the win- 
ter comes for this purpose, and, from our own 
waters and forests, often realize, in the course of 
one winter, a sufficiency to purchase a small 
farm in New Kngland.” 
Dogs. 
We made the remark in the January number 
ol the Cultivator, that the first movement of 
those who were turning their attention to wool 
growing, should be to exterminate the race ot 
dogs with v/hich the whole country is infested. 
We say so again; and we add now, that until 
it is done it is perfectly vain to attempt to raise 
sheep. 
Some one says:— -“We can’t do without 
dogs.” Very well: il you must have dogs, 
get dogs that will be worth some small part, at 
least, of what they consume. The shepherd’s 
dog is of this sort, if half what they say of him 
be true. Take for prool Mr. Sotham’s account 
of his dog Boxer, in the “Central New York 
Farmer.” Here it isr — 
From the Central New York Farmer. 
Messrs. Editors — According to promise, I send 
the description and character of my Shepherd’s 
dog. He is of humble pedigree ; h'is dam was 
of a poaching disposition, caught pheasants on 
their nests in the summer, and was shot by the 
game-keeper, after producing Boxer under a 
manger. His sire was ot a similar kind, 
caught hares in their forms when out on duty, 
and although owned by ihe shepherd ot a noble- 
man, even the influence ot aristocracy could 
not save him; he was hung for his transgres- 
sions, although he procured his master many a 
luxurious meal, and he gave Boxer a good edu- 
cation. 
Boxer’s phiz is rather a remarkable one; 
though not beautiful, there is an animated and 
intellectual look in his eye, and appearance of 
quick imagination before action, that makes 
him interesdng; he is of medium size, a hmg, 
curly coat, --and without a tail, a good criterion 
of the true kind. 
This dog is one of the most faithful and af- 
fectionate of the brute creation, and I should 
say, knows as much as many of the human 
race. His temper is exceedingly docile, except 
when imposed upon, then he will defend him- 
self with true courage; going through the city, 
twenty dogs may run, bark and.grov 1, but Box- 
er will turn, give a counter snail, ana bid defi- 
ance to all. 
He will go rpund any lot on the farm, and 
letch ev’ery sheep to you, and keep them togeth- 
er until you examine the whole flock, or take 
any number from it. He is generally very obe- 
dient, and a more industrious animal never 
stood on legs; he is more- useful in driving a 
flock of sheep than three men. If his assis- 
tance is required among the cattle, he will take 
them to any point required, and he knows a 
strange animal equally well with myself Box- 
er is no Iricnd to hogs; if he sees one on the 
pr-^ndses, out of the stye, he is off without or- 
deis. If the peacock, fowls, turkeys or ducks 
enter the garden. Boxer discovers them, or it a 
w'histle is given, they take to their wings or 
legs immediately. Should the geese enter any 
ol the lots, a whistle will soon bring them into 
the road. Once show Boxer the proper place 
for an animal, and he will alwmys bear it in re- 
membrance. Make him understand what you 
want him to do, and he w’ill perform his woik 
with great sagacity. 
It is sometimes my practice to let my sheep 
in the road a few hours in the day, when the 
feed is good, and take them at night to very short 
pasture, to leave the manure they collect; one 
evening. Boxer going to fetch them, brought all 
but one; as soon as they had entered the gate, 
he barked at the shepherd, and walked towards 
the lost sheep, the pastor followed him to a fence 
where a lamb was fastened; had he remained, 
he must have died before morning. Two flocks 
of sheep came to the washbrook at the same 
time, into one yard, Cotswold and Merino. — 
Boxer kept the division equally well as aboard 
fence, not a sheep escaped from either, the 
whole lime of washing. The old dog did this 
w ith much judgment, and in a very quiet way, 
and the good acts he had.^one elsewhere, elicit- 
ed many compliments from his friends and “ ac- 
quainta.ncesf' Give Boxer a lair chance at a 
rat, and he is certain death. A skunk'’ must 
die, notwithstanding its cdor; a w'oodchuck 
must run, if he has far to get home ; and a dog 
must fight — and bravely too — if Boxer catches 
him among the flock. 
He comes to his meals as regularly as the 
cloth is laid, and if he is not noticed, he will 
put his paw' on each at table, until he is fed. — 
He fares as well as his master, who is perfectly 
aware of his partiality and sterling worth, and 
well compensated lor every meal. He is a 
more interesting companion than many who 
call themselves men. Boxer sleeps before the 
fire in the evening, and has nothing to disturb 
his tranquil repose, but the caresses of his 
friends — at night he guards the premises — not a 
thing moves without his knowdedge — and a 
''thief” must take care of his " breeches” — the 
midnight solitude finds the old dog watching. 
He is a dog of all work, a general favorite, and 
never flinches from his duly, but manifests ea- 
gerness to do it. It the old dog could speak, he 
could tell a good tale on sheep. If he could 
flourish a pen with his paw, he could distinguish 
the different breeds of cattle, cqnnWy well with 
many writers wffio profess to know' ; therefore I 
shall bestow' the praise and -commendation, and 
to say the least, he is a great dog. I have been 
offered one hundred dollais for him, but my 
"last shilling” must eo before we part ; there is 
a tie between him and me, that even the power 
of money cannot sever. Wm. H. Soth.vm. 
Hereford Hall, Nov. lOfA; 1844. 
Ellsworth’s Report. 
We are indebted to the Commissioner of Pa- 
tents lor a copy of his Report for the year 1844. 
It embraces the usual topics ; and is, from first 
to last, full ot very interesting information, par- 
ticularly so much of it as rel-ites lo Agriculture. 
We intend to avail ourselves, from time to time, 
for the benefit of our readers, ol the very impor- 
tant and valuable matter which Mr. E. has col_ 
lected with so much industry. We commence, 
in this number, wfith the following extracts from 
his introductory report. 
From Mr Ellsworth’s Report for 1644, 
The annual agricultural statistics, compris- 
ing the tabular estimate ol the crops for the past 
year, with accompanying remarks and appen- 
dixes, w'ill be found subjoined, (marked D.) If 
the length of the document is objectionable, I 
will only say that I have deemed it more accep- 
table to the public to give the facts established, 
than deductions from them ; more especially as 
no conclusive opinion can be justly formed on 
contradictory statements respecting some impor- 
tant subjects. 
The science ol agriculture has now’ become a 
study, and much greater improvement may be 
expected. Worn out lands that have been, as 
