THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
and lay out too much main strength on what 
could be easier and better ^one by the aid of skill 
and science. All are aware that they must farm 
better or break, for the car of improvement moves 
on, and the only choice is to ride on or be run over 
by it.” 
Chickasaw Pea. 
A correspondent of the South Carolinian, 
writing from Greenville, speaks in very high 
terms of the Chickasaw Pea as a fertilizer. If 
this pea, after extensive trial, continues to an- 
swer the expectations that have been formed of 
it, we need not, in the Southern States, complain 
that clover will not succeed with us. We will 
have in this pea what will answer our purposes 
j ust as well. 
We shall he glad to hear more of it Irom 
those who have triedit; and especially it it be 
not the same as what is known as the Tory Pea, 
in Alabama, and some parts of Georgia. 
The account by the South Carolinian's corres- 
pondent, is as follows : 
“ There is, perhaps, no section of country in 
the upper districts which has improved more in 
agricultural condition than the ” Old Pendle- 
ton” neighborhood — the result, vie are told, of 
an Agricultural Society, composed of intelli- 
gent and practical farmers. We were struck 
with the inanifesc improvement in the breeds of 
cattle and hogs. The Berkshire cross has here 
told well, for the very simple reason, we pre- 
sume, that stock is attended to. We have ne- 
ver seen a finer stock of hogs in travelling 
through any country. More attention seems to 
be paid to the Pea culture here than in any sec- 
tion we have been. We are told that it is the 
opinion of many good farmers hereabouts, that 
land can be improved to a high degree by the 
Pea culture. We have no doubt of the fact, if 
properlv applied. There is a Pea, the Chicka- 
saw Pea, which bears most abundantly, and 
once planted, is almost inexlirpable. We have 
seen it put into corn ground — after the corn was 
taken off— pastured by the cattle and hogs all 
winter— in the spring put in oats, and after the 
oats was taken off the pea came up in great 
abundance. Now suppose these were to be let 
alone, and in lieu of the absurd system of pas 
turing stubble, the vine and stubble should be 
turned under in the tall— would not the land be 
vastly improved? We have no doubt, if the 
pea were sown on our stubble lands — a peck to 
the acre — and the crop turned in, while in the 
bloom — that the efiect produced would be equal 
to the best clover leys, so much esteemed in 
Virginia and the North. It is an admitted fact, 
that leguminous plants exhaust a soil in a very 
slight degree. 
The Pea vine contains about 53 per cent, of 
Potash, a most i uportant ingredient in all soils 
for the production of grain or cotton. If this 
should be returned to the soil, in addition to the 
carbon and nitrogen contained in the vine, it j 
seems to me that there would be a manifest im- | 
provemenf. It has been discovered by analysis ; 
that Cotton wool contains potassa 31.09 per I 
cent.; lime, 17.05.; magnesia, 3 26; phospho- | 
ric acid, 12.30 ; sulphuric acid, 1.2'k That 
the seed contains phosphoric acid, 45.85 ; 
lime, 29.79; potassa, 19.40; sulphuric acid, 
1 16 per cent. While Corn contains potassa, 
20 87; phosphoric acid, 18.80; lime, 9.72; 
magne.‘.ia, 5.76 per cent. The following anal- 
ysis of straws may not be uninteresting: 
Wheat Straw. Barley Straw. Oat Slraw. ] 
Potash i 31 15 ' 
Soda f 1 15 I 
I'tme 7 lOi 2| j 
Magnesia........ I j 
Alumina 2f 3 2^ 1 
Oxide of Iron, ... . 2| J 2-| I 
Silicdtorliint. . . 81 73k 80 I 
.Sulphuric Acid. . 1 2" I .!■ ! 
Phosphoric do ... 5 3 i’ j 
Chlorine 1 pi i 
mo 100 too 
From the foregoing data we learn, that potash 
is a most important ingredient in cotton and corn, 
and that the pea vine and cotton seed would be 
most invaluable manures— how easy would it 
be to avail ourselves of both. If a planter 
should sow 20 bushels per acre of cotton seed, 
upon a luxuriant vinecrop, and putit in wheat, 
is it not reasonable to suppose that the advan- 
tage derived would be as great as from a clover 
ley, and gypsum. We are sure, the elements 
are nearly the same, and we have no doubt of 
its effect. It is an admitted fact, we believe, 
that oats exhaust land more than any other 
grain crop. The mystery is solved, we ihink, 
by the analysis, for thereby, oats is found to con- 
tain 15 per cent, of potassa, while barley straw 
contains only 'Sh, and wheat J per cent. No 
doubt the rapid growth of oats, and close pastu- 
ring aids much in the exhaustion of the soil, and 
we derive an important lesson from the analy- 
sis— the want of potassa in the soil— which may 
be supplied by the pea crop, and the keeping off 
one’s stock. Grass does not exhaust a soil, for 
the verv simple reason, that it takes up no pot- 
ash. Grass contains, carbon 45 percent; hy- 
drogen 5; oxygen 38; nitrogen U ; and ashes 
9 per cent. 
Every old woman in the country can tell us, 
that post oak and hickory contain tlie most 
potash — yet how few farmers know,, that this is 
the reason, why post oak and hickory lands 
are the most productive. Let a piece of land of 
this growth be exhausted and turned out, and it 
will put up pine, whjch contains less potash, 
perhaps, than any other tree. For this reason, 
a pine old field will produce hut a few years, 
without manure. In all pine old fields, you 
will find an abundant supply of silica, and if you 
only will add the potash, you are certain of a 
good crop. 
We look forward to a day when the Pea crop 
will be found a most important anxiliary in the 
resuscitation of the worn out lands of the Sou' h. 
Clover cannot be grown here — the climate i® al- 
together too hot to expect a luxuriant growth to 
answer for manure. "We see no resource left 
us but the Pea culture. Paul Pry. 
©r igiiial (Eommimic ations. 
Slieep and Wool. 
Mr. Camak: — f am.glad to see that your pa- 
per is becoming the medium of conveying mat- 
ters of vital interest to the public mind. Tri- 
vial experiments in trivial farming has been 
the dead weight which has overburdened almost 
every agricLiltural paper, and eventually created 
a disrelish which has condemned them to fail- 
ure. Some of your correspondents have come 
to your aid in .a branch of production, which 
must, ere long, constitute a source of great re- 
venue to individuals, and render the South an 
independent people. If Georgia does not be- 
come a large wocd-growing State it will be for 
reasons wholly unassignable. It cannot be for 
the reason that we have not territory and cli- 
mate perfectly adapted to it; nor can it be, that 
it is unprofitable. 1 will not place wool-grow- 
ing upon the ground of patriotism, for ihat ba- 
sis is apt to yie.d to the weight ot individual 
interest. So far as you have expre.ssed the de- 
sire that we should and ought to become inolc- 
pendeni of the world to supply oiif wants, every 
Georgian will concur with you. That we can 
do so in the main and necessary articles of foe d 
and raiment, I believe with you, that we can. 
There seems to be no doubt among men of re- 
flection, that Georgia mu.'t, ere long, from posi- 
tion and conlormation, become a mauulactur- 
ing State; and it is not only the manufacture of 
cotton, bat almost every branch resulting in an 
entire supply of such as we need. This end I 
am certain you wish to forward. 
As it was intended in this paper to bear te.s- 
tirnony oniy to the sound doctrine expressed by 
some of your correspondents in relation to 
wool-growing, it will be confined to that mat- 
ter. Coincidence in the opinions of a few 
men results in forming “public opinion.” I 
cannot promise any methodical arrangement in 
this matter, but as an idea arises 1 will put it 
down in ink, good or bad. Can we or not, raise 
w’dol ? This has been settled long since. I 
might say it had been done in every county in 
the State ; but to do it as a source of actual in- 
come is the point which is most material to 
prove. If it is not profitable and cannot be 
made so, no proof on paper will change our 
production of cotton. If more money can be 
made or saved by making cotton than raising 
wool, no conviction on paper will induce people 
to turn to wool-growers. But I am under the 
impression that a portion of our State can, and 
will be convinced, that wool growing is the only 
resource of peruianent profit left to us in time 
to come— I might say at this time. The Che- 
rokee district is yet too fresh; although the 
greatest part is fit foj; very little else in agri- 
culture, still the people wn'll not alter their pro- 
duction from grain to wool— 1 mean, to take it 
upas a main and leading production. Al- 
though no country on the continent is more 
suitable than some sections of Cherokee, it 
will not be done. Where anything, cotton, 
corn or silk, can be produced WMth greater profit 
than wool, let it be done. Where w'ool meets 
w’ith such competition it would be abandoned. 
For this reason, although the climate and soil 
ot the cotton region of Georgia might be en- 
tirely suitable, the rivalship of cotton is too 
powerful. We must then look tor a theatre 
where wool would be free from such competi- 
tion. The counties of Hall, Habersham. Ra- 
bun, Franklin, Clarke and Aladison, either en- 
tirely or in part, present every inducement to 
embark in this matter. The best evidence is 
that which is in reach. To prove anything by 
conjecture or supposition is useless where mo- 
ney is concerned.’ To induce men to lake up a 
new business, I must prove that it is not oiilv 
possible, but |)rofitable. The members of the 
Western bar are all in reach, if called on, . ■ 
prove that it is possible; if not to raise wool, 
certainly to raise better mutton than in Neiv 
England. I understand such to be the case in 
Habersham and Rabun. The possibility is 
therefore settled. I do not say better wool thau 
New”- England, but I will say, better than the 
foreign wools from Smvrna and Buenos Ayres. 
The wool from Smyrna looses about one-half 
when washed after it reaches our market. 
That from Buenos Ayres is always coarse, and 
it is imported because it is cheap — perhaps the 
cheapest. I mention these counties of Hall, 
&c., because we all know them. They are to be- 
come cur allies in this production. This place 
would be the market for wool grown in them. 
The average yield of sheep is better known 
to the farming people than to me. But we may 
put it at 3t pounds for sheep well housed and 
pastured. This, if managed neatly, w’ould be 
worth 30 cents per pound, or about the cost of 
the sheep per bead, leaving out the increase 
from a flock. It is rarely that we find a man 
who does not admit that wool-growing would 
be profitable in this section — perhaps not one 
in a hundred ; and many are anxious to test the 
matter, and are willing to risk much larger 
amounts than the Southern people have credit 
for. But in the historv of the world there is no 
parallel to the insignificance of the cause which 
prevents this outlay of capital in Georgia. I 
might say with truth, that millions of dollars 
are lost to the State by those worthless dogs 
which are allowed to wander and depredate, ut- 
terly useless to their owners. Now is there not 
a species of madness about us to suffer this an- 
nual loss, and make no effort to better our con- 
dition ? I know we cannot get protet^ion from 
the Legislature ; at least, no law will ever be 
passed embracing the whole State. No party, 
no legislature, will have the independence to 
save us from the fate of Acteon. Neither par- 
ties nor individuals will hazard their vanity or 
popularity by introducing a “ dog law.” But 
if we cannot get a general law, let old Clarke 
do her duty. If we cannot get Clarke county 
to do it, by her people openly and freely asking 
the Legislature to protect us in the attempt, let 
