14 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
MUBEAIN AND BLACK-LEG. 
These diseases are the common pest among cattle at 
the west, particularly in malarious districts. Mr. J. D. 
Hall, of Champaigne county, informs us that he cures it 
so far without fail by the use of spirits of turpentine. After 
bleeding the animal by cutting off the end of the tail, he 
- gives for a dose to a grown steer one pint of the article 
and to a yearling one-half a pint. He has treated desper- 
ate cases v/ith success in this way. An application of cold 
■ water is also made to the loins as a part of the treatment. 
A neighbor of his has been successful in the same dis- 
' eases with an article called “Perry Davis’ Pain Killer,” 
•which may very likely be composed of spirits of turpen- 
tine chiefly — though we do not know of the fact. Of this 
article he gives a fifty cent bottle at a dose. 
The spirits of turpentine is probably the cheaper medi- 
cine and it has the advantage of being known as to its 
composition. Very likely a much smaller dose would 
•answer every purpose. — Prairie Farmer. 
GEOWING CLOVEE AT THE SOUTH. 
If it be practicable to grow profitable crops of red clover 
at the South, the fact ought to be generally known. Mr. 
Croom, of Greensboro, Alabama, makes the following 
statements on this subject in the November number of the 
Soil of the South: “ A gentleman living in the neighbor- 
hood of my plantation, Mr. Geo. Minge, made last year 
a bale of cotton of 500 lbs. to the acre on a lot which had 
been in clover several years, and which had been regu- 
larly mown and grazed, while the adjoining land of simi- 
lar quality without the benefit of clover yielded not more 
than 500 lbs. of seed cotton. I have had the present year 
275 fattening hogs besides my other stock on clover pas- 
ture. The grazing is fine at this time. 1 am sure that 
besides what is grazed, enough fell and dried up on the 
ground to make 80 tons of clover hay. There is one 
field of 35 acres not grazed at all, where the ground is 
covered one and a half to two inches deep with the dry 
-stalks, and a fine second crop now out ; and this field 
was sown in February last. The clover and stock busi- 
ness does not at all interfere with a full crop of cotton, 
corn, potatoes, and every other crop usually grown on the 
farm. There can be no doubt that the now ascertained 
fact of our lime lands being adapted to the growth of Red 
Clover appreciates their value lOU per cent. It is admit- 
ted to be true of the lands in Virginia, Tennessee and other 
States ; and it is equally or more so in South Alabama.” 
We are inclined to believe that Mr. Croom is correct in 
his suggestions and opinions in reference to the adapta- 
tion of calcareous soils to the economical production of 
clover. Certain it is that the limestone lands of Western 
New York greatly excel all the freestone and granitic soils 
in that State, or any other known to us, in the luxuriant 
growth of this valuable plant. We still doubt whether 
the climate of “ South Alabama” is as favorable to red 
clover as that of more Northern States ; but the experience 
of Mr. Croom and of his neighbors affords valuable en- 
couragement for others to try the experiment of cultivating 
this renovating crop. For dairy purposes, for grazing 
mules, horses, swine and sheep, clover has many advan- 
tages. Timothy hay, and that formed from other English 
- grasses, as well as similar indigenous grasses at the South, 
■contains too little organized nitrogen to be equal to clover 
In the production of flesh in domestic animals, cheese in 
milk, and other protien compounds. A careful experi- 
ment made in the city of Washington by a dairyman in 
feeding cut clover and cut timothy to a herd of cows giv- 
ing milk, proved the superiority of the former for yielding 
milk— an article of almost universal consumption. This 
rSXperiment decided the doubt with us whether to make 
-on our own farm in the District of Columbia a meadow 
of timothy or one of clover, in lavor of the latter. But our 
land, like that of a large majority of our readers, lacks 
lime, and is therefore not naturally adapted to the produc- 
tion of this plant. Will the addition of lime alone to a 
freestone soil make it in all respects equal to a natural 
calcareous one'? From much observation and some 
analyses, we venture to answer the above question in the 
negative. Calcareous earths are formed under peculiar 
circumstances which give them other important elements 
of fertility besides lime. Nevertheless, the application of 
lime to all lands that lack this mineral is good practice, 
although perchance other fertilizers may be needed. On 
many soils, lime alone appears to work wonders in devel- 
oping agricultural resources never before known to exist. 
In calling public attention to the value of clover and 
lime, it would not be difficult to adduce strong corrobora- 
tive testimony to that of Mr. Croom, if we deemed it 
necessary to our purpose. Take lime and clover from the 
soil of Monroe county, in the Valley of the Genesee, and 
it would no longer yield, as it now does, a million and a 
half bushels of wheat a year ; and a halt million bushels 
more than any other county in the United States. Like 
the calcareous lands in South Alabama, Tennessee and 
Kentucky, these wheat and clover soils of Western New 
York have steadily advanced in price for thirty years. 
They are now worth about SlOO an acre, and pay a high 
interest at that, with wheat at two dollars a bushel in 
Rochester, as it is at this time. 
For some reason, which we do not understand, the men 
who control the numerous railroads in Georgia do not en- 
courage the transportation of lime for agricultural pur- 
poses, as v/isdom would seem to dictate. The so-called 
improved lands of the State would give them twice the 
freight in cotton, grain and provisions, in groceries, Jiard- 
ware, salt and dry goods, and in travel, if these lands 
were properly limed. The soil supports the inhabitants 
of all the States, and they support the railroads. To im- 
prove the soil, therefore, is to enrich the owners of rail- 
roads as well as the owners of cultivated lands. And 
yet, railroad companies virtually prohibit the transporta- 
tion of lime for agricultural purposes, over their roads ! 
This short-sighted policy will not stand the test of criti- 
cism. It depreciates the value of railroad stock by keep- 
ing both the land and its cultivators too poor for high 
production. 
If the hot summers of the South do not burn up clover 
plants ; if they will increase the yield of cotton from 500 
lbs. of lint in the seed to 500 lbs. of clean staple in the 
bag, per acre; and if “ the lime lands of South Alabama 
have appreciated 100 per cent.” because they are proved 
to be adapted to the growth of red clover, then there is no 
good reason why lime should not be as freely used in 
South Carolina and Georgia as it is in Delaware and 
Maryland. We do not condemn the cultivation of peas 
as a renovating ci’op, nor as a forage plant, by pointing 
out some of the advantages of growing clover for grazing 
purposes. Every farmer needs a plenty of rich pasturage 
at times when his pea- fields are not available. Such clo- 
ver pastures as Mr. Croom speaks of are almost invalua- 
ble in making meat, mules, cows, and other stock. All 
poor land must be enriched before clover will flourish 
therein, either South or North. On many soils, particu- 
larly the red clays, lime alone will suffice ; on others gyp- 
sum will do tlie needful ; while on some, bones are required 
to meet the wants of clover, as of turnips and wheat. By 
adding lime and guano to poor land, we hope to get a fair 
return in clover. Manure of all kinds operates best on 
land that has a plenty of lime in it. This is a fact of great 
importance in the long run of farming. Manure rarely, if 
ever, fails to secure large clover, where the seed is good 
: and well put in ; but manure is a scarce article on many 
plantations. Guano is the best substitute for stable manure 
known to the writer. L, 
