156 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
Original (Eommitmcations. 
The Crops— The Drouth— Practical Hiats. 
Mb. Cam ak .-—Having been preserved by a 
kind and overruling Providence to reach myna 
t ve State, on my way home, I feel it due to my 
brother farmers (for I hope every Georgia farmer 
takes the Southern Cultiv.atoh,) to give them 
some account of what has fallen under my ob- 
servation. Since I last wrote you from Illi aois, 
I found the grain crop of the West promising an 
abundant harvest. This is peculiarly fortunate, 
indeed, at this time, as we have suffered so se- 
verely in all the South. For, I found, in pass- 
ing through the State of Virginia, as well as 
North Carolina and South Carolina, and as far as 
1 have came in Georgia, that the crop is literally 
cut off. Indeed, I have scarcely seen a field of 
corn that would yield over half a crop ; and, from 
the best information I can get, this unfortunate 
state of things is general. Avery natuial inqui- 
ry comes home to every man: what is best to be 
done under this state of things 1 The answer is 
promptly given : Let us sow largely of the tur- 
nep crop ; sow largely of the winter grains, such 
as wheat, rye and the hardy kinds of oats. Then, 
in he commencement of the fall and winter, use 
great economy in the consumption of what we 
have. By pursuing thiscourse, and in the mean- 
time, commence taking the e.xampleof our more 
prudent Northern farmers, set about saving and 
making manure for the year 1S46, we will, I hope, 
be prepared against future drouths, at least as 
far as human foresight can prepare, particularly 
if we will pay much more attention to the provi- 
sion crop generally, than we have hereto.‘'ore 
done— that is, plant a much larger proportion of 
our lands in a provision crop, and much less in 
the cotton crop. 
Having mentioned the subject of manure, let 
me tell my friends who cultivate the soil, that the 
sooner we turn our attention to that important 
part of husbandry, the betterit will be for us. In 
passing through the States of New Yv'rk and 
Pennsylvania last month, (August,) I found the 
farmers everv where hauling out large quantiiiss 
of manure. Indeed, from the size of the farms 
and the quantity ol manure, I was at a loss to 
know how they managed to prepare so much of 
it; for, from the number of cartloads that they 
put on an acre I supposed they intended to spread 
it broadcast. And such was their attention to 
the soil, that they had previously plowed up the 
fields for its reception. Now, I don’i believe in 
imitating the North in everything ; for, from all 
I have seen. I would be the last man that would 
quit the South and settle in that cold region. 
But their system of industrv and economy is 
w'orthy of all praise. If we would carry it out to 
the extent they do we might soon make our de- 
lightful country the garden spot of the world. 
Let us, in all the South, getup, as New York has 
done. State Agricultural Societies, and County 
Agricultural Societies. Let us universally, as 
farmers, encourage the agricultural press, and in 
a few years the whole face of the country will 
present a very different aspect. We will hear no 
more of hard times, but all will be flouiishing and 
happy. Your friend, 
Alexander McDonald. 
Macoriy Ga., September 15, 1845. 
Bermuda Grass— Sweet Potatoe. 
Mr. Camak: — How Doctors differ, or if you 
please, how we Bermuda grass men disagree as 
to how to give the death blow to this monster, 
Bermuda. Well, this is all well enough. The 
object is, to get at the experience of all; then 
sum it all up, and see who is right; and see who 
has learned to kill itso that it will ."-tay killed : or 
to see if he who thinks he kills this grass, has 
not killed the soil, I think I must say, deader 
than the grass? And let me say, in ttiis place, I 
feel no wounds inflicted, at having my plans 
controverted. I have stated, and my belief is, 
that shading crops — such alternate crops as 
f eas in summer, atid wheat or barley, in tall 
and winter — is the best. Mr. Rkeney, of Burke, 
says it wont do; that hoed crops, with prepara- 
tory plowing, is the thing. According to his 
own statement, by a greaT deal of hard work, 
he has killed both grass and land, and that by. 
plowing and hoeing. This he may do in Burke, 
where the land is, I presume, sandy : and 1 sta- 
ted, that it was much easier to manage it (if not 
to kill it.) in sandy soils. But if he will come 
to old Greene, and kill it after his plan, on our 
large fields of stiff, red clay soils, and with any 
thing like the usual crop to the hands, and espe- 
cially, if he will kill it without injuring the land, 
I think we will not only give him the silver cup, 
but fill it with kindness, and that to overflowing. 
For it will profit us but little, to be shown how 
to put an end to the ever-lived Bermuda, unless 
in so doing we can treat the. soil more kindly. 
My plan had in view, not only the killing of it, 
but in doing so to have the land improved. 
I would not have Mr. R. think, that I question 
what he says. I am glad he has said what he 
has, as we invite the experience of all, on this 
all-important subject. I only object to the state 
it leaves the land in, by his own statements ol 
his process of destroying it. 
We are very much upon the plan of trying 
to improve our lands in these parts, and we 
have been saying, or I might say hoping 
against hope, that Bermuda was coming in (to 
be what red clover waste the North,) to aid 
us. But enough, lor I am pausing, to know, 
what more to say or think of this blessed 
pest, (as I must call it, till I can get a better 
name,) and these remarks are only in reply to 
friend R. of Burke. 
My main object in taking pen in hand, to con- 
tribute my mite to the Cultivator, was, at this 
time, to do more immediate good to the com- 
munity, than R. or 1 shall do in discussing the 
merits of Bermuda grass; and that is, now that 
we make but little to live on this dry year, to try 
to tell my friends and neighbors how to keep 
that little, when we have got it. 
The sweet Potatoe is a favorite crop with me. 
It is one very dilticult to keep, after yon have 
made it, without a great deal of trouble; and 
they loose much of their flavor, if the least un- 
I sound. The best way to keep them good, thatl 
have ever tried befoie my now proposed plan, 
is the old fashioned way of putting up in large 
hills or piles, and covering with earth. In some 
seasons, they will rot in this way. 
I have mainly kept mine now for the last two 
yezrs, perfectly sound, by putting them in a dry 
loft, on a tight plank floor, and covering with 
cottonseed, about 6 or 8 inches thick. Any gar- 
ret or loft, that is fit for nothing else, will do for 
this; for it may be only the room made by the 
roofing or rafters coming down to the floor, and 
scarcely high enough to stand erect in the cen- 
tre: yet this is the very shape you want your 
potatoe-pile to be in, running the whole length 
of a long roof, if you have the potatoes; letting 
them lie here till cold weather is about to set in, 
so that they get perleclly dry and cured. Then 
cover with colton seed, and you will have good 
fresh roots, till this time of the year. I can now 
show some as sound as the day they came out of 
the ground. The advantage over the old hill 
practice is, that it is not half the trouble to fix, 
is always ready to get at, to take out more or 
less, and when you take out, begin at one end 
of your roof-shaped pile, by displacing the cot- 
ton seed ; when you have got out what you want, 
simply throw back a lew seed, where you have 
just taken from. Try it, and ifwill do you good. 
And, now, Mr. Editor, let me say in conclu- 
sion, as Sain Slick says;. “ the best land, with 
hard usage and constant cropping, will run out.” 
So we novices, with pen in hand, and a desire 
to scribble, and not much in the head, will run 
out-, and to make out my piece and fill my 
sheet, let me, through you, object to this anony- 
mous writing in the Cultivator. There’s my 
Bermuda friend P. of Walton, and there’s your 
“ Agricola’s,” and “Salamander’s,” and “ Cot- 
ton Planters ;” and next, I expect, we shall have 
our “ Potatoe Eaters,” &c. &c.. Come out with 
your true names, gentlemen, and let us see who 
you are. And if we differ, and can’t settle it by 
writing, let us know who you are, that we may 
goanlsee you, and settle the difference b}'' 
word of mouth; surely, if we are engaged in a 
good-cause, we ought not to be ashamed of our 
names. Subscribe your true names, as I do 
mine. J. Cunningham. 
Greensboro', September 19/A, 1845. 
Sheep aud Wool. 
Mr. Camak : — Proof is unnecessary for the 
conviction of any intelligent mind familiar with 
the character of tt. e soil and climate of our 
extensive pineries bordering on our rivers and 
tributaries, that they possess superior natural 
advantages to all other lands lor successful aud 
profitable sheep husbandry. Though almost in 
a state of nature, they may be made, in a few 
years, to yield returns in this branch of husband- 
ry, unequalled by the most productive agricul- 
tural districts in the State. The scattering 
flocks of fine looking sheep in our pine land 
counties, fully demonstrate its practicability 
upon an extensive scale. 
If sheep husbandry is made a source of im- 
mense profit in countries where land costs thir- 
ty to fifty dollars per acre, and the climate re- 
quires them to be led eight months in the year, 
and that, too, on dry food, how much more availa- 
ble are our pineries at 10 to 40 cents per acre, 
with a genial climate and a soil of perpetual 
herbage ? If the bleak States of the Nort*’ raise 
their millions, why may not Georgia do the 
same, with greater advantages of soil and cli- 
mate? With the same agricultural encourage- 
ment, she can raise finer sheep and double the 
number of any of the Ncrihern States. And 
once began upon a liberal system of husbandry, 
we will see the husbandman of those States 
transplanting his flocks Irom their snow-capped 
mountains to the verdant plains of our noble 
and extensive pineries. 
To those familiar with the natural advanta- 
ges of our pine land counties, the question must 
force itself upon the mind, why have we neglect- 
ed so long the blessings that the God of nature 
has given us? In truth, we are the slowest 
people in creation to profit by the force of ex- 
ample. Georgia is capable of raising millions 
of sheep, and in a few years may be made not 
only to supply the demand of her owm manufac- 
tories, but to export millions of dollars worth 
of wool, from lands now entirely unproductive. 
The most valuable of our pine lands for the 
raising of sheep are the counties included in 
what is termed Southwestern Georgia. Their 
variety of herbage and fertility of soil render 
them the most desirable lands in the world for. 
the grazing of sheep. The counties on the bold 
and gushing Flint and its tributaries, from Doo- 
ly and Sumter to its junction with the Chat- 
tahoochee, seem designed by nature for sheep 
walks of the most novel and romantic kind. 
Within this area of country, including Lee, 
Baker and the adjacent counties, can be raised 
a largernumber of sheep, to greater advantage, 
than in any country of its extent upon the ha- 
bitable globe. From its great natural fertility 
of soil, surrounded by a vast region of grazing 
lands, and abounding in the richest and most 
luxuriant herbage, it must, one day, become the 
centre of a great sheep countryn It is there the 
shepherd will delight to dwell. From its smooth 
and even sui face and freedom from all under- 
bush, the eye at a single glance can scan thou- 
sands at feed. Such is the character of a large 
portion of the pineries in that region of the 
State. There also may be seen what is often 
termed “the richest lands in the world,” for 
the earth, indeed, “seems to leem with riches,” 
and nature to have blended all her excellencies 
and exhausted her storehouse in the production 
of a virgin soil. 
In contemplating the great agricultufal resoifr- 
ces of that region, we are natuially led to la- 
ment the destiny of unhappy friends w-ho have 
overlooked the claims of their owm Georgia, 
and sought homes upon lands in other Slates 
not half so rich, and for which they have paid 
three, yea, in many instances, five limes their 
value. Sic transit gloria. What Georgian, 
who has passed a winter in that region of his 
State, but dwells wdth feelings of ecstacy and 
delight upon the sojourn. 
