THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
41 
ber. We prefer the Yam and the Red Bermuda 
to all other kinds; and to make a large crop we 
arrange so as to have the vines ready to set out 
immediately after the full moon in April — all 
danger of frost being then usually past. To do 
this, use is made of the hot bed, or forcing frame. 
Our frames were made according to the directions 
given on pages 10 and 11 of McMahon’s Ameri- 
can Gardener’s Calendar, and are managed as 
directed at page 12 to 20 of the same book. The 
potatoes are put in the hot bed about the first 
of Alarch, and by the middle of April, even in 
the latitude of Athens, we often have vines two 
feet long. The ground to which they are trans- 
planted is made rich with well rotted manure, 
and plowed very deep. We prefei^^ a deep sandy 
soil, in which there is plenty of vegetable mat- 
ter in a state of decay. Ridges are made three 
feet apart, not more than six or eight inches 
high, so arranged as to run horizontally, and thus 
hold all the rain that may fall. As soon as all 
danger of frost is past, the vines are drawn from 
the potatoes in the hot bed, and planted in the 
ridges about a foot apart. By putting about a 
pint of water in the hole in the ridge opened to 
receive the vine, they will grow right off ; so 
that if water can be had conveniently there is 
no need of waiting for a season, as they say. 
Indeed, we have found vines set out in this way, 
in a very dry time, and under a hot sun, grow 
better than those set out as they usually are. 
Then as to cultivation : about the time the 
vines begin to spread rapidly, and if possible 
when the ground is wet, we fill in between the 
ridges with leaves from the woods. This is all 
the labor expended in cultivation except to pull 
out any grass or weeds that may spring up on 
the top of the ridges, the leaves effectually pre- 
venting any such growih betw'een the ridges. 
We are perfectly aware that the use of forcing 
frames is altogether unnecessary in all the coun- 
try below the last falls of the rivers in South Ca- 
rolina, Georgia and Alabama ; and even in the 
district of countiy immediately above that, on 
large plantations, it might not be profitable to use 
them. In such situations, the common hot-bed 
without glass may answer all purposes. But in 
the range of country in w’hich Athens is situated 
and in all the country above that, inhabited as 
it is, more by farmers than by planters, and in 
which good potatoes are so seldom seen, we are 
confident the introduction of forcing frames 
w^culd be attended with great benefit. Such, at 
least, is the result of our own experience. But 
in every situation, below the falls, as well as 
above, we are quite sure that the planting in 
ridges running horizontally, so as to retain all 
the rain that falls, and the filling in between the 
ridges with leaves, will be found to be a very 
important improvement on the old plan of plant- 
ing in hills, which we must think is the very 
worst plan that could be adopted. 
In vol. 1, page 33 of the Southern Cultivator, 
a plan is described by Mr. McKinley, of Ogle- 
thorpe, by which the Sweet Potatoe is cultiva- 
ted in level ground — that is, without making ei- 
ther hills or ridges. The reader is respectfully 
referred to the article itself for full information 
on the subject, with the single remark that the 
plan is well w’orthy of a careful trial by every- 
one who is in search of new revelations on the 
subject of Agriculture. 
GROUAD KUTS. 
Though the cultivation of this article is con- 
nected with our earliest recollections of field la- 
bor, yet we must depend on some of our corres- 
pondents to supply the information wanted. 
Useful Measures. 
We publish the article of “ Pedro” cheerfully, 
but must be permitted to ask him for the author- 
ity on which he relies to make the bushel contain 
2160 cubic inches. 
Since our attention has been directed to this 
subject of measures of capacity, we have been 
very much surprised to find that so great a want 
of uniformity prevailed, a short time ago, even 
in the Custom houses of the U. States. We are 
aware that the government has been engaged in 
furnishing correct standards of weights, and 
measures of capacity, and of length : and so far 
as weights are concerned, we believe standards 
have been made and distributed. But as to the 
measures of capacity we know not what pro- 
gress has been made. 
Those who are engaged in Agriculture have a 
very deep interest in this matter. 
The following tvas the size of the bushel, at 
the Custom-houses named, in 1832, as is shown 
by the investigation directed by a former Presi- 
dent, John Q,. Adams. We find the document in 
Mr. Hassler’s report to the Secretary of the 
Treasury, in 1832. 
Custom house. Bu’lCitbin 
Baih, Maine 1925 
Porlsnioulh, N H.. 2153.74 
Boston, Mass 2211.6 
Providence, R I. . . .2194.5 
New London, Con. 2223. 06 
N ew Yo r It 2152.36 
Philadelphia 21S6.2 
Wilmington, Del . .2192.2 | 
These are the principal Custom-houses in the 
list made out by Mr. Adam’s direction. Besides 
these, there are many others in the list, inwdrich 
there are still wider discrepancies. At Plymouth, 
N. C., for example, the bushel is made to contain 
2358 53 cu’fic inches, and it is remarkable that in 
the w'hole list Baltimore is the only place where 
the bushel was, at the date of the report, of the 
right size, \iz : 2150.42 cubic inches. 
Ornamental Trees. 
Would it not be well for those who take an 
interest in planting Shade Trees about their 
houses, to introduce something more of variety 
in their selections'? We get tired of seeing the 
never-ending China Tree. It is a handsome tree 
enough, but we have entirely too much of it. If 
we go into our own forests we may find in the 
red maple, elm, beech, sweet gum, black gum, 
sugar maple and poplar, abundant means of 
giving variety to our ornamental plantations. 
Add to these a few foreign sorts, as theailanthus, 
sterculia,- pau’ownia, abele, silver-leaf maple — 
and, above all, the Linden— and intersperse the 
whole liberally with our native Holly, and we 
might have something worth looking at. A.s to 
the Linden, read the follotving extract: 
The Linden Tree. — Few trees connected with 
rural economy, are of more value than the Lin- 
den. In some countries, and especially in Rus- 
sia, scarcely a village or hamlet can be found 
where it cannot be seen. The w’ood of the Lin- 
den is valuable and much sought aftei by cabinet 
m.akers, by whom it is w-rought into furniture of 
various descriptions. It also furnishes a most 
eligible material for other artificers, particularly 
the carver and the turner, by whose skill it is 
made to assume the form of a variety of domes- 
tic utensils. From the inner bark of the linden, 
cords and matting are manufactured. Its blos- 
soms, which e.xhalc a most aromatic peifume. 
Custom house. Bu i Cub in. 
Baltimore, Md 2150.42 
Washington City. .21 17.20 
Richmond, Va 2112.6 
Camden, N C 215-2.2 
Charleston, S C. .. .2172.03 
Savannah, Ga 20L3.32 
New Orleans 2162.02 
are available to the apiarian as a pasture for his 
bees, and to the botanical practitioner as a tisane 
for the invalid. The particular hue, fine aromatic 
odor, and delicious flavor of the honey of Cir- 
cassia, derives its valuable characteristics from 
these blossoms. The small limbs, and tender 
shoots, gathered with their foliage and mixed 
with ground corn or other nutritive grains, are 
fed to stock during winter, and are reputed valu- 
able. 
Sumacli. 
Has any ©ne south of Virginia turned his at- 
tention to the culture of Sumach'? The extent 
of the crop in Virginia last year is stated to hay,e 
been about 10,000 bags, equal to 700 tons, and 
nearly one-twentieth of the whole consumption 
of the United States. 
Why cannot something be done in growing 
this article in South Carolina, Georgia, and es- 
pecially in Florida'? Vfe believe it is a Jaw of 
nature that plants containing gallic acid require 
warm climates to bring them to the highest state 
of perfection. Sumach raised in Virginia, it is 
?tated, has been used in place of the Sicilian. 
If this be so, the growth of still more southern 
climates would be still better. Vv'ill not some of 
our enterprising planters make an experiment in 
the culture of this new article. Properly mana- 
ged, the product is caid to be from three to five 
tons per acre. 
Southern Dependence. 
The editor of the Avierican Agriculturist in 
his number for February, says he has paid out 
to farmers, chiefly in the State of New York, 
during the year 1845, over sLx thousand dol- 
lars, for improved stock and seeds, most of 
which has gone South. He further states that 
he probably did not make one-tuentieth of the 
purchases that were made for the same purpose. 
Now just take your pencil and calculate how 
much cotton it will take at present prices to pay 
for all these seeds, Ac. — nearly all of which is a 
dead loss to the South, simply because, when the 
stock and seeds come home and a:e paid for, our 
people too often don’t know how to manage them. 
Isit at all surprising that, with such drains on 
our resources, our part of the United States 
should be advancing backwards 'so fast 7 
Horses. 
By thevery many glowingaccounts of the great 
excellence of the Morgan Horse, which we have 
read since our connection with the Agriciiltura 
press, we were induced to arrange with a gentle- 
man in Georgia, to purchase and introduce one. 
for the improvement of our Southern stock. 
Well, what think ye, is the upshot of the busi- 
ness! Read the following extract of a letter 
lately received from our correspondent, who was 
entrusted with the purchase, and that will tel! 
jou; 
“ The Morgan h.irse,’’ he says, “ has been run 
out these twenty years, and it is the merest 
gammen with jockies to ta’k about them. Eve- 
ry thing in the country is now called ‘ a Morgan,’ 
from the merest rat of a pony to a gaunt, 
lor.g-leuged, seventeen-hand horse. We have 
what is better than Morgan horses ever w-ere, 
viz: the Messenger, Mambrino, and Duroc 
crosses. They are almost thorc-ugh bred, and 
the most admirable roadsters that the world can 
produce. I have seen all kinds in England and 
other parts of Europe, including quite a number 
