THE SOUTHERN CULTIVA'l'OE 
ually done, when a level line is pursued : every 
I'armer knows who has ever followed the plow, 
that it is much more difScull to do good plowing 
when plowing tipland down a hill, especial- 
ly ifthBhill isat all steep, than it is on a le^ el 
surface. That the plow is much more diffi- 
cult to gaide-; that the land cannot be as deeply 
and as thoroughly broken up, ard’that'it is far 
more laborious and fatigueing to both man 
and horse. 1 therefore^cbnclude that the ehances 
for a deep and thorough pul verfeation of the 
soil — for a smooth, clean, close cultivation of 
the crop, (indispensable rei^uisites in good cul- 
tivation,)— are greatly in favor of horizontal, 
over up-hill and down-hill ploV/lng. 
Secondly, a crop planted upon broken land 
which has been well ditched, having the rows 
upon a level, will stand a drought better, and 
M ill be less liable to be injured from protracted 
spells of dry weather, for the reason that all the 
rain that falls upon the land during such sea- 
sons is made available by not being permitted 
to run off and escape out of the field. Each 
row is made into a kind of reservoir lor retain- 
ing water, which is gradually absorbed and ta- 
ken into the beds to nourish the growing crop; 
whereas, when land is plowed up and down 
the hill, when there comes a heavy, dashing 
shower, as most Irebuently happens during dry 
summers, the water would rUn off the beds into 
the middle furrows and dash down the hills with 
the velocity of waterin a millfall, carrying dlong 
with it the humus and fine particles of thesoil. 
From the foregoing facts and observations, 1 
think lam fairly warranted in drawing the fol- 
lowing conclusions : 
Isi. That, under this system, broken lands 
are less liable to wash, and will consequently 
last longer. 
2J. That land can be more thoroughly pre- 
pared for a crop — that the crop can be more 
effectuallv and advantageously cultivated, and 
with much greater ease to both man and horse. 
3d. That it will stand a drought much better ; 
and lastly, that it will yield from 20 to 25 per 
cent, more than when planted and cultivated in 
hills in the old way. 
I have dwelt upon this subject more minutely 
than I otherwise should, from a conviction of 
its importance to the farmers of Georgia'; for I 
should rejoice to see the day when the did 
barbarian Indian method of hill culture, and 
up and down hill plowing will be scouted* 
and driven from every corn field in Georgia,' 
except upon rich level bottom lands, and even 
then, I think the cultivation of corn in drills 
decidedly preferable. 
The system thus recommended will cause our 
crops to yield a richer abundance; encourage- 
ment will thus be given to a direction of atten- 
tion away from the exhausHngsystem now pur-' 
sued, to such crops and to such objects in hus- 
bandry as will allow of the most enlarged, per- 
manent improvement ot our agricultural inte- 
rests, which, indeed, is the legitimate design ©f 
our association. Let us aim at this, and al ways 
remember that it is our business, by the influ- 
ence of both precept and example to recommend 
and establish that system which, while it se- 
cures fair remunerating profits, furnishes the 
greatest facilities lor the permanent improve-: 
ment, as well ot our lands, as of our modes c>f' 
cultivation. 
I cannot permit this occasion to pass without 
congratulating this association, whose organ 1 
am to-day, on the encouraging interest which 
the ladies of our county have, from the com-; 
mencement, manifested, as well in its objects as i 
in Its success. The very large part they con- 
tinue to take in our fairs— the very great extent 
to which they have always contributed to the 
interest and profit of these occasions, by such 
exhibitions as pertain to their peculiar depart- 
ment of domestic economy ; and their presence 
to-day in so large a number, evince that their 
interest is yet unabated ; and whilst it assures 
us that ours is an elevated ahd noble cause, fur- 
nishes an ample guarantee, that if faithful to our 
own high trust, we shall not be deprived of the 
power! ul aid of their influence and patronage. 
®I)C 0oittl)£rn ^ulttuator. 
AUGUSTA, GA. 
VOL. IV., RO. 1 JANiUAKV, 1846. 
To Editors. — The Editors of miscellaneous 
an^ political papers with whom we exchange 
in the South, are respectfully requested to no- 
tice the reception of this number of the “South- 
ern Cultivator,” and call the attention of their 
readers to the work. 
Reader !—whe'her you be aCultivatorof the 
Soil, a Mechanic, Laborer, Clergyman, Physi- 
cian, Lawyer, Merchant or Statesman — we ask 
you to give heed wiiile we address a few words 
to you, in reference to a s ibject which pertains 
to your interests as well as our own. It is 
equallyiyour duty as ours, to endeavor to pro- 
mot^ie well being of society, and to this end 
should our energies be exerted. Regarding this 
a high moral obligation, we are seeking to pro- 
mote the great interests of society by the publi- 
cation of an Agricultural Journal, whereby we 
may improve the Agriculture of the South, and 
increase the happiness and prosperity of the 
people. In this you are all interested, either 
directly or indirectly; foras Agriculture is the 
basis which sustains all other pursuits, so when 
it flourishes all other business feels its influence 
and is alike prosperous— and on the contrary, 
when it is depressed, no class of society escapes 
its influence. You are all and each of you, 
^very man, of whatever business or pursuit, 
interested in'ihe success of Agriculture. Our 
object therefore is to ask you to do good, not 
only to those around you and society in general, 
but to do good to yourselves, by using some ex- 
ertion to extend the circulation of the “South- 
ern Cultivator.” All of you have neighbors 
and friends, whom you can persuade and in- 
fluence to become patrons of the work. See 
them, and endeavor to induce them to unite in 
sustaining a work which the most intelligent 
men of the country think is destined to exercise 
an important influence upon the prosperity and 
happiness of the people of the South. The cost 
is a very 'small “sum, only One Dollar a year, 
an amount which every man can afford to pay. 
Reader! you can certainiy obtain lor us one 
subscriber — perhaps ten, twenty, or one hun- 
dred— and if our remarks be founded in truth, 
it is your interest to make the effort. Will you 
do it? Will you see your neighbors and friends 
and persuade them to unite with you in a com- 
mon effort to sustain a work— the objects of 
which are so laudable? If so, you will not only 
be engaged in a good cause, but you will deserve 
and receive the thanks of The Publishers. 
Solon Robinson. 
This gentleman, so well known by his writings, 
to those who have been in the habit of reading 
agricultural papers, is now on a tour of observa- 
tion through Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, 
and 30 South as far as Alabama, along the Atlantic 
coast. He is acting as Agent for the American 
Agriculturist', 'and, in reference to that agency, 
the editor asks for Mr. Robinson such attentions 
upon his travels, as will lend to make them 
agreeable, and further he objects of his tour. — 
It will be Mr. RoUinson’s study, the editor says, 
to make himself useful wherever he goes, and 
he may be emphatically styled the Agricultural 
Missionary of the land. He has travelled over 
moat of the United States, and possesses a large 
fund of information to coirmun'icate, as well as 
disposition to acquire more. We are persuaded, 
the editor continues, that Mr. Robinson’s recon- 
noissance will be particularly agreeable at the 
/South; lor upon the subject of which South- 
erners are somewhat jealous of interference, we 
can assure them that they will be pleased "to com- 
municate with him. 
Charcoal on Wheat. 
We have heard of several of our subscribers 
who are trying what efl’ect the application of 
charcoal will have on their wheat. We hope we 
shall have from them in due season, an aiacount 
of the result of their experimertt, whatever it may 
be; for practical men are offt-en as much benefit- 
ted by an account of the failure of an experi- 
ment, as of its success. 
In the meantime, for the encouragement of 
those who are stilj disposed to try the same ex- 
periment, we copy from the Genesee Farmer an 
account of the result of an experiment in the ap- 
plication of charcoarto wheat in Ohio. 
“ To prevent rust, Mr. Haywood, of Buffalo, 
has used charcoal with signal success. Mr. H. 
is the owner of a tract of sp'enaid wheat land 
near Sandusky, Ohio, where he has two flouring 
mills. He has kir.dly furnished us'with a plot of 
seven wheat fields, taken for experiments this 
season, with the results,'V/hich follow: 
No. 1. 20 acres. Applied 50 bushels of coal, ground 
fine, per acre. Yield, 25 bushels of wheat. per acre. 
No. 2. 4 acres. No coal applied. Wheat badly rusted. 
Yield. 5 bushels per acre. 
No. 3. 15 acres. Uoal as in No I. Yield, 25 bushels. 
No. 4 25 acres Coal as in No. 1. Y'ield, 35 bushels 
per acre. Note. — No. 4 Was seeded with "oW'lo/teal. 
No .5 15 acres. Coal. Yield, 25 bushels per acre. 
No. 6. 8 acres. No coal. Yield, 5 bushels per acre. 
No. 7. '6 acres. No coal. Yield, 3 bushels per acre. 
“ The soil, culture, &c., precisely alike except 
the use of ^0 bushels of coal per acre as designa- 
ted — sown in April and May. The soil abounds 
in lime and organic matter. 
“Mr. Haywood will apply 10,tX)0 bushels of 
coal to the fields to be sown in wheat this au- 
tumn. It costs him "^30 per IDOO bnShels. T^e 
grinds it in a common bark mill used by tanners.” 
Soutlieru Iiidepeudeiice. 
Nothing pleases us so much as to be able to 
record any' evidence, however slight, of a deter- 
mination on the part of the South to rescue her. 
self from the miserable habit of depending on 
others for what we ought lo make ourselves. — 
Such evidence is furnished by a late number of 
the Wetumpka Argus, and we 'copy it with very 
great pleasure indeed. 
We would like very much to be able to inform 
our readers what Messrs. Cooper & Stroup are 
doing ill the same line, in Cass county, Georgia. 
— Will not Mr. Cooper give us the means of in- 
forming our readers on the subject ? 
“Alabama Castin'gs.- -That loa'd of fine cast- 
ings, which was left at the store of Messrs. A. P 
