THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
87 
fields were perleci inclined planes, it vould be 
a very easy matter to so run our rows as Jor 
each to bear oli its own water so gently as not 
materially to was.h the land. This, iiowever, 
being I'ar from the case, the question is, the best 
protection under the circumstances of the many 
undulations that we find in even a small field. 
It is the practice of many farmers in this sec- 
tion of Georgia to put in the necessary number 
of ditches and lay oil their rows parallel with 
those ditches and cultivate the crop in drills. 
The arga nent lor this practice is, that the rows, 
having the same gradeof theditches, will main- 
ly bear olT their own water. They lorget that 
the natural un.lulations will very soon vary the 
gra^ie, in fact diange me direction of the water 
in diflferent points of the row; it is therefore 
embodied and presses its way Lwn the hill to 
the ditch below, drives across that and material- 
ly injures the land. The reason lor the imper- 
lection of this system ispbvious. In one part 
of the field the hill may be very abrupt, at an- 
other less so, and at another still less. A ditch 
passing across all these various declinations, 
ascending the hollow on one side and descend- 
ing it on the other to the natural eye, but by the 
instrument keeping the samegrade. Now it is 
very easy to perceive, that in a parallel of thirty 
feet Irorn the di ch, you would lose your grade, 
for the reasoii, that the fall, suoposing the par- 
al'el on the lower side of the ditch, would be 
much greater where the hill was very abrupt, 
than where it was less than half as much so. 
Therefore the parallel row would be many inch- 
es out of the grade of the ditch at the steep part 
of the hill, and as compared with the di:ch 
where the land was less abrupt. Hence the 
water would be thrown into bodies by this me- 
thod of operation, to say nothing of the many 
smaller undulations, almost imperceptible to 
the eye, producing the same effect. And when 
once sufficiently embodied, the volume contin- 
ues to increase, and it soon defies obs’ruction. 
It cannot be difficult forany one who has ever 
used a level to comprehend the lorce of this rea- 
soning It has been observed, that if fields were 
pe.’fect inclined planes, it would be a very easy 
raatler to have each row pass off its own water. 
Now the horizontal rows form an inclined plane 
taking the rows together. True the direciion of 
ihe plane is changed as often as the direction ol 
the level changes, nevertheless the same grade 
is oreserved, measuring from the top of one bed 
to the top of the other; therefore the direction of 
the plane is changed as often as you have un- 
dulations in the land. Your level being perfect, 
of course your inclined plane is perfect, and 
when you have such a fall of water as to over- 
ran your water-fu.''rows, it is as apt to break 
over on a ridge as in a valley; lor the rows be- 
ing level, the water remains where it fell — the 
inclined plane being perfect, the water passes 
over in a kind of sheet, until leceived by the 
ditch below, a.ad by it borne off. To keep your 
level perfect, short rows will occur between you 
guide furrows ; because where the land is most 
abrupt, the guide furrows will be nearer togeth- 
er than when it is less so, by runnins rows about 
parallel with the guide rows the place for the 
short rows will be indicated by the filling of the 
space where the land is most abrupt ; the re- 
maining space will then be to fill with short 
rows by the judgment of the operator. 
But to the ditches. A field that is intended to 
be ditched should be sown in small grain, in or- 
der to have as smooth a surface to operate on as 
possible. The ditches should be from 75 to 150 
yards apart, regulated in their distance apart by 
the tall of the land, and the ability of the soil to 
absorb water. In fields laying comparatively 
well, in many cases t^ree or four ditches are suT 
ficient for a field of fifty acres, of which the 
operator must be the j udge. The grade may be 
regulated by the ability of the soil to absorb wa- 
ter, giving greater fall on clay lands, and less 
on sandy porous soils. For land having ave- 
rage ability to absorb water, my grade is three 
inches to twelve feet, increased or diminished a 
quarter of an inch, as the soil is more or less 
capable to absorb water. The instrument used 
IS the cominijii ra let level, having a siride ol 
iwelve lett, wiih a plum.b bob suspended from 
the crown by a very small cord, so boxed as to 
prevent the influence of the wind. The grade 
i^ indicated by a mark on the cro-s-bar, say two 
and a h.all feet Irom the crown. The grade that 
you may wi.sh may be ascertained by first find- 
ing a perfect level. This is ^e^t done by re- 
ver-ing llij ends o! the instrument, until the 
j'lumb-litie will stand at the same point on the 
cros. -' ar. Then place under one end ol the le- 
vel a block just the thickness that you wish your 
grad-^-, and tl e plumb line will indicate the de- 
ciinaiion on ihe cross-bar. I usually commence 
opera ions near the highest poinuff theland and 
in the middle of the intended ditch, and let that 
point divide the water, having it to run each 
way. By this method I encouniera less volume 
of water at any one point. The ditch being 
marked out by a chop wit.h a hoe at each step of 
the level, it is opened by running several fur- 
rows with a plow, and the dirt drawn out on the 
lower side with weeding hoes. I prefer the 
ditches wide rather than deep, and concave in 
the bottom. A plow may pass them withoutin- 
convenience, and they occupy about the space 
ofone corn-row. The nece.ssary number being 
laid out and opened, you may proceed to lay out 
your guide furrows, by the mark that indicates 
the true level. The space between the guide 
furrows will be filled by -tinning parallel rows 
alternate to the guide rows, the width that you 
mav desire, for either corn r.r cotton, until the 
space is filled, finishing with short rows where 
they may be required, as before directed. The 
land is then thrown into beds by the rows, the 
beds opened, and the crop planted. In the cul- 
tivation, it the level is well preserved in the 
rows, and the water-furrows kept well open, all 
the water will be retained in common rain.s; 
but if the rain should be so great that the land 
cannot absorb it, nor the water furrows hold it, 
ii passes over the bed in a sheet— because of the 
inclined plane formed by the horizontal rows — 
and is received by the ditch and borne off. If 
the grade of the ditch is a proper one, and well 
preserved the whole length, and properly opened 
and well attended to the first year, when a turf 
will be formed on its bank, I wilt ensure it not 
to break by the lodgment of a few blades of 
fodder. 
The reason that hill-side ditches are in dis- 
repute with many is because the grade is not a 
proper one, or not well preserved. In one part 
of the ditch, the grade being too great, the wa- 
ter passes too rapidly; in another, not being 
great enough, it passes too sluggishly: conse-- 
quentlv there must be an accumulation at the 
point where the water moves slowest, and the 
volume continues to inciease until the ditch is 
overflowed, for which the system is condemned, 
when the true cause is in the operator. I have 
seen many fields injured from improper ditch- 
ing, but it has not proved to me that the system 
is a bad one. If Mr. Old will give us a state- 
ment of his method of operation, and cogent 
reasoning why the system of graded hill-side 
ditches is a bad one, and point out one that is 
belter, and sustain it by incontrovertible proofs, 
tor myself I wifi most cheerfully abandon the 
one and embrace the other. 
Of one filing I am certain, that my land 
washes less than iny neighbors’ who have not 
resorted to the means that I have to prevent it; 
and I believe that many of them are finding it 
out, from the fact that they liave commenced 
the system of graded ditches. 
Since writing the above, I have had on my 
farm a very hard and washing rain, when the 
land was not guarded against it. Soon after the 
rain a field was examined that came into my 
possession last winter, and in the spring the ne- 
cessary number of ditches had been made in it, 
and no attention given them since. By the way, 
it is a very broken field, and many gullies had 
been formed, across which the ditches passed as 
a matter of course. The crop is corn, and cul- 
tivated horizontally. I found the field well pre- 
served. Even in the gullies across which the 
ditches passed, the loose dirt which fell Irom the 
pl'jws ill crossing them had not been washed 
out. I confidently expect, by filling these gul- 
lies wii.n pine bushes, which 1 shall do this fall 
previous to sowing wheal, to have these gullies 
entirely filled, and corn growing on them. 
My object in noticing the conversation of Mr. 
Oid is to elicit information on the subject of 
preserving hill}' land froui washing from the 
heavy f ills of rain, frequent in this country du-. 
ring ihe crop season, and as the gentleman con- 
demns the system that I have practised with 
success, as 1 believe, 1 felt called on to vindi- 
cate it, and at the same time ask him for a bet- 
ter and more effectual one. R. S. Hardwick. 
Jocassie, Hancock co., June'28lh, 1842, 
The Camellia. — Of this magnificent exotic 
there are several species and upwards of fitly 
varieties. The species known as C. Japonica 
and Seticulata, with their varieties, are in gene- 
ral cultivation in the Green Houses ol Europe 
and America. Some of the varieties of the 
Japonica, as for example, C. J. Variagata, the 
variegated red, are so hardy as to stand the open 
air, either as standards, or planted agains't a 
wall; particularly it their roots are protected 
during frosty weather. It may here be stated as 
an important fact, that many tender and half 
hardy plants will grow freely, and produce 
abundance of flowers, if their roots and collars 
are protected, in a temperature that would kill 
them immediately, it these tender parts were 
exposed to the influence of the cold. Camellias 
are commonly cultivated in sandy loam, and 
this soil is perhaps the best for them when they 
are grown in pots; but when planted out in the 
open ground, they will thrive exceedingly well 
in sandy loam, mixed with rotten dung, orleat- 
inould. When the plants are in a growing 
state, they require abundance of water, both the 
roots and over the leaves; taking care, how- 
ever, never to wet the leaves when the sun is 
shining upon them ; as whenever this occurs, 
the leaves become stained, or blotched, and look 
as though they were scalded. During the grow- 
ing season, the Camellia requires a temperature 
ot from fifty to sixty degrees, but when the 
flower-buds are formed it may be lower, till the 
beginning of winter, when the buds begin to 
swell. At this season, the temperature ought 
not to be suflered to fall below fifty degrees, oth- 
erwise the buds will be liable to drop ofi; and 
they will also drop if watering be neglected. It 
must be observed, that all the varieties of the 
Camellia Japonica cannot bear too much heat, 
and they prefer the shade to broad sunshine. 
Of the different species, C. Sasangua, and its 
beautiful variety, C. S. Maliflora, are the most 
tender. C. Seticulata is distinguished by the 
large size and brilliant colour of its flowers. It 
was, at first, thought tender, but it is now found 
to be quite as hardy as the Japonica. 
Propagation . — All the species and varieties 
may be propagated by cuttings, taken ofi at the 
base of a leaf, or at a joint, as soon as the wood 
is ripened, and planted in sand under a glass; 
but the finer varieties are generally propagated 
by layering, and inarching or grafting. The 
French Nurserymen have a very rapid mode of 
procuring plants by grafting, which they effect 
under bell-glasses, in strong moist heat, with 
scions of the young wood, on stocks formed of 
cuttings struck the same season. The above is 
taken chiefly from the Ladies’ Companion of 
the Flower Garden. 
Cow Pea. — There is no doubt, in the minds 
of many practical farmers, that the cow pea is the 
best renovator of worneut, or tired land, that can 
be used in the South. Plant early in May, be- 
tween hills of corn, and cultivate with corn|; the 
produce for hogs alone wall doubly pay all cost ; 
it will in reality almost equal the corn crop. The 
vine and foliage will not only shade the land, but 
protect from tbe washing, and afford a fine quan- 
tity of vegetable matter to turn under. The re- 
ports furnished by experienced farmers, in vari- 
ous parts of our country, particularly in south- 
ern countries, prove this beyond a doubt. The 
pea is the clover ol the South . — Plow Boy, 
