46 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
April, and all treated with the same number ol 
plowings artd hoeings, without “favor or affec- 
tion,” my object being to ascertain the precise 
amount of benefit accruing trom the subsoiling 
and manure. 
The result was, that although the whole crop 
was little over one half, on account ol the ex- 
treme drouth, the difference was three to one in 
favor of the part subsoiled, while the only ex- 
tra labor expended was the three extra furrows 
to each row at planting, and putting on the ma- 
nure. 
An experiment was tried by one of my neigh- 
bors, of subsoiling for corn on pine land, with 
a result very favorable to the practice, though I 
cannot give you the precise amount of benefit. 
Suffice It to say, these experiments have induced 
several of our large planters to try it this year 
upon a large scale, and when the result is as- 
certained, I hope they will have the goodness 
to make their experience public, as there seems 
to be considerable prejudice upon the minds of 
some in regard to this matter. P. Davidson. 
P. S. Can any one inform us in regard to the 
culture of Nankin Cotton, and where seed can 
be procured 7 
Medville, Ga., January 21, 184&. 
Nankin Cotton. 
Mr. Camak By this mail 1 forward you a 
sample of Nankin Cotton, in a newspaper, 
which grew from seed I imported last year from 
Malta. The staple is finer and longer than the 
Malta cotton, as compared with some unginned 
cotton with the imported seed. I planted this 
cotton on a plantation where no other cotton 
grew, and ginned it in a gin where no other 
cotton was ginned, thus keeping it Irom being 
injured by mixing with other cotton. It grew 
finely and was free from the rot which general- 
ly prov'es very destructive to our common Nan- 
kin 
I have a few hundred bushels of the seed for 
sale, at two dollars per bushe'. The seed im- 
ported cost me more than double that price. 
They can be forwarded to Columbus or Apa- 
lachicola by steamboats, &c. I have an order 
lor some of the seed from a gentleman in South 
Carolina, which will be shipped to Charleston 
via Apalachicola. Should you think the pa- 
trons of the Southern Culiivalnr would wish to 
procure any of the seed, you can give such no- 
tice in that periodical as you may deem proper. 
Yours, very respectfully, 
ileuBEN C. Shorter, Sr. 
Enfaula, Ala , January IG, 1846. 
[ I’he sample of cotton mentioned in Gen. 
Shorter’s letter we have received. It is very 
beautiful in color, and the staple is very fineand 
silk-like. We hope Gen. S. will be re-amply 
rewarded for his enterprise in bringing this new 
article into the country, and introducing it to 
the notice ol cotton planters. The Editor.] 
Fencing. 
Mr. Camak: — I see in the first number of 
the Southern Cultivator, in the report made 
by the Committee on the Agriculture of Geor- 
gii, that they state that it behooves the Geor- 
gians 10 begin to think of some substitute for the 
com non rail fence. 1 am now making an ex- 
periment that I have no doubt will succeed, and 
answer the purpose of th - best kind of a rail 
fence. Wherever there is a fence that will se- 
cure the farm for three years, ridge up a bed of 
land inside of the fence, in the same manner 
that land is prepared for cotton, and open the 
ridge wiih a narrow p'ow, and if the land is very 
poor open the ridge pretty deep and fill it with 
rnanure, and sow, or rather drill, China tree ber- 
ries about the first of April, They should be 
drilled pretty thick, so that they may be suffi- 
ciently thick, and if th.ey should come up too 
thick they can be cut out to a proper stand. In 
three years they will make a fence sufficiently 
strong to turn any kind of stock. I drilled about 
one-half mile last year. The weather was very 
dry for some time after I planted the berries, and 
they did not come up until late in May, but 
wherever the ground was properly prepared and 
moist I have a fine stand. The best of them are 
from six to eight inches high. This year I shall 
plow and hoe them. I shall prepare this year 
about one mile more inside of my plantation, and 
I have no doubt that in three years they will an- 
swer the purpose as well, or better, than the best 
kind of rail fence. The China is a tree of quick 
growth, and flourishes finely in the Southern 
States. The berries should be covered about two 
inches deep. Persons living in an open prairie 
country would do well to make the experiment, 
as well as those who live where timber is incon- 
venient to be had. Respectfully yours, &c 
John Green, 
Burnt Corn, Ala., January, 1846. 
Fencing. 
Mr. Camak; I find short practical rules of 
immense benefit to the farmer. As the time for 
resetting old and making new fences is at hand, 
I present your patrons with a very short and 
simple rule to ascertain the number of rails ne- 
cessary to do the amount of fencing needed. 
Role — Measure around the ground to be 
fenced and multiply the number ol ijardshy 4, 
and this gives the number of rails necessary to 
make a 10 rail fence over the ground measured. 
Example . — Suppose you desire to make a fence one 
hundred yards long. Then: lOti X 4==1U0, the number 
of rails required. 
In a fence made by the above rule the stretch 
made by two pannels is fifteen feet, the base or 
width ol the strip of ground occupied by the 
fence is 4i feet. The angle is about I2(P. 
The practical mode ol laying this worm is to 
first stake off two lines, wi,h the distance of 4^ 
leet between them, then prepare a rod iSfeetlong, 
which is to be carried by the man who lays the 
worm, lor the purpose ol measuring bet ween 
the corners. In laying let the ends of the rails 
cross precisely upon the two lines previously 
laid off feel apart. By this rule you have a 
fence which is commonly made in the country. 
But I think it is rather straight, and the base too 
narrow, and the number of rails too small (10) 
to the pannel to make either a handsome or 
strong fence; and, therefore, prefer the following 
Rule. — Measure, as before, and multiply the 
number of yards by 5. For every 100 yards add 
16 rails. This gives the number of rails to 
make a fence of 12 rails high, with 14 feet 
stretch and 5 feet base. 
Example . — Suppose it is desired to fence one hundred 
yards Then; 100X0-^16=3=516 rails required. 
A fence made by this last rule, though it takes 
more rails, yet the farmer is well paid in the 
strength and beauty of his fence. The angle, 
in this instance, is about 108°, which makes a 
much handsomer crook. 
Were it not for occupying too muck space in 
your valuable paper, 1 w’ould give the rationale 
of the rules, for the benefit of the curious. 
Your Iriend, Walton. 
Measures— -Millet— Meat and Corn. 
Mr. Editor— Sir :— I see in your last number 
of the Cultivator recommendations how to 
irnke measures; also, how to measure acorn 
crib. Now, I do not say that these are Incorrect, 
in the leasfybut permit me to give you my rule, 
and then pers ms measuring can work by either. 
In the first place, almost. every farmer has a 
use for a half, or biisht 1 measure, and for want 
ot knowing the proper size to make them, he 
goes to town, buys a Yankee made one, pays 
three times as much for it ns the plank and nails 
are worth that it takes to make one. Any man 
who can saw a plank and drive nails can make 
one. The rule is this : A box 12 inches square 
and 15 inches deep will hold one bushvl. For a 
hall bushel, 12 inches square and 7^ inches deep. 
For a peck 8 k 8 k 8J — a little too large. The 
calculations are made for the bushel to contain 
2,160 i iches. 
To measure a corn crib — multiply the length 
and hrea hh togeiher and multiply that product 
by four. This will give you the amount the crib 
would contain suppose the corn to be one foot 
deep. Multiply this product by the height of the 
pile ; cut off the right hand figure ; in short, mul- 
tiply the length, breadth and depth together, and 
that product by four, and cut off the right hand 
figure. Example: — Suppose a crib 10 k15 k 8 
<eet; these multiplied make 1,200, and multi- 
plied by 4 = 4,800. Do you see, the crib will hold 
480 bushels; every foot in height will hold 60 
bushels. 
Millet. — I would recommend every farmer 
who is needing fodder to get some millet seed 
and sow it on a rich spot of ground. It should 
be sown about the time corn is planted, in drills 
three feet apart, plowed like corn, the grass and 
weeds picked out while young like rice. When 
seeding, cut and feed like oats or rye. It is a 
good preventive of bots. It can be cut on low, 
moist land, every two or thiee weeks from the 
middle of June until September. A quart will 
sow an acre. 
Meat. — There are many ways of preserving 
meat from the bugs. The following is my plan ; 
The last of February take down your meat, if 
well smoked ; have a large pot of boiling water ; 
keep fire under it j dip your meat in it; let it 
stay one minute by th-- watch to kill the eggs ; 
no danger of hurting the meat ; let it stay in the 
sun a little while ; being hot, it will soon dry; 
then pack it away in a box or hogshead with al- 
ternate layers of wheat or oat chaff, and it will be 
good and sw' et as long as it lasts, and perfectly 
free from bugs, if the eggs are all killed in the 
first place. 
Cork. — Lastly, how to make your Corn hold 
out. Go to the crib yourself and get it out, or 
see it done, and don’t depend on a servant. 
There is not one in forty but will give more than 
you direct if you do not see him. 
Your humble servant, Pedro. 
Anonymous Writers. 
Mr. Camak : — I was sorry to see in the Octo- 
ber number of the Cultivator that friend Cun- 
ningham has suffered a total defeat in his war-' 
fare against Bermuda Grass, and has applied 
his forces against “anonymous contriDutors,” 
as I, for on.a of your readers, have derived 
more useful infirmation from two pieces over 
the signatures of “ A Subscriber,” page 73, and 
‘‘Coloniis,” page 167, second volume, than I 
have from any fotir others signing their real 
names, and there has been very many good wri- 
ters, those on Bermuda not excepted. And,by- 
the-bye, 1 should be well pleased tor “ A Subscri- 
ber” to give us his views on the culture of 
Corn, as he promised. As his mode of raising 
Cotton answers the purpose so well, his plan of 
cultivating Corn must be worthy of attention 
even if he signs his name “ Potatoe Eater,” &c. 
1 care not what name may be signed to a piece 
provideditis the “real grit.” And now, friend 
C., a word with you through our friend Camak. 
I entreat you to raise the siege, as there is no 
laurels to be gained by battling with an un- 
known foe, much less an ally. Rather advise 
all and every one that knows anything worth 
communicating to their brother farmers, to sit 
down and verite it out in the best form he is able 
andsendit to the editor, and if it will stand the 
ordeal you will be satisfied. Tell them it is in- 
formation you want, not their names, an 1 my 
word for it you will gain as much by doing so 
as by calling hard names. 1 think if the Culti- 
vator was filled with such pieces as those speci- 
fied, and a great many others I could name, with 
anonymous as well as ~eai names signed to 
them, it would be more acceptable to subscribers 
generally than to be half or two-thiids filled w’ith 
selections from Northern papers t! at areof no in- 
terest to as Southern farmers; and if friend C. 
will t.nke the trouble to look over the three back- 
volumes of the Cultivator, he may find that 
if the anonymous wi iters were stricken out it 
would not contain more than half the original 
pieces it does, and if the wiiters had to choose 
between signing their names or not willing at 
all, I am fully of opinion the latter alternative 
would be chosen by the most of them. 
Will any of your correspondents inform me if 
the labor-saving plow noticed in the Cultivator, 
vol. 2, page 161, is patented. It not, they will 
confer a favor on some of your subscribers by 
giving through youi paper a more plain and fuil 
description of it so as to enable a smith unac- 
quainted with the plow to construct one. 
Yours, truly, Wm. SMALLwoon, 
Cairo, Decatur Co., Ga., Jan. 21, 1846. 
