34 
SOUTHEEN CULTIVATOE. 
that this is the preferable native species for tanning ; and 
fortunately it is disseminated far to the south and west, 
though seldom found north of New York. The Indians 
of the Missisippi and Missouri make use of the leaves of 
this species, as tobacco. 
A fourth species is Rhus aromaticum, which is not 
feund in this State, or to the north or east of it. Its most 
northern limit is Pennsylvania, thence extending to Caro- 
lina and Kentucky. This is a shrub of about four feet in 
height, with trifoliate leaves, which distinguish it from all 
Other species. It grows naturally in moist localities. 
The leaves, when rubbed, emit a very strong odor. 
The four species I have described all possess tannin to 
a greater or less-extent. 
A fifth species, in regard to which I have doubts, is tho 
Rhus vermx^ or Poison Sumach tree. This is found usu- 
ally in low grounds, and attains a height of eight to ten 
feet. The leaves are pinnate, and resemble those of the 
ash so much that it is often called Poison Ash. Its ber- 
ries are white. Every pai't of this small tree is poisonous, 
not only in the growing state, but, as I am assured by 
those who have sulfei’ed from it, even when vegetation 
has ceased and no sap is flowing. 
Having now reviewed all the species which may be 
applied to the object desired, I will refer to a Chinese spe- 
cies, Rhus siiccedanum, from which the red lac is made, 
and which might be introduced and cultivated here. It 
is singular that so many useful and so many poisonous 
shrubs should be comprised in one genus. 
In addition to the poisonous species already described, 
we have in plenty around us Rhiis toxicodendron ^ or poi- 
son ivy — a vine which runs over so many fences and 
climbs so many trees ; and in Pennsylvania and Virginia 
Rhus vindifioruvi, also very poisonous : and there is also 
Rhus 'pumilum — a dwarf shrub, found most plentifully ia 
Vermont and Lower Canada, and also said to grow in 
Upper Canada, which is deemed the most poisonous of all. 
In California they have the Yedra, or Rhus viride, 
which abounds in the mining districts, growing under 
the oak trees, and is the only plant there that looks green 
and flourishing during the torrid heat of summer. Most 
wofully have the miners suffered from this poisonous plant. 
In the Island of Java there is a poisonous species, Rhus 
Javanicum^ so celebrated for its deleterious properties 
that it has been sometimes confused with the Bohon Upas 
tree, of fabulous notoriety. There is another species 
found at Macao, and one in Barbary, and above a dozen 
species are natives of the region about the Cape of Good 
Hope ; but of these the pecuhar properties are unknown. — 
Hortictdturist. 
BUST IN COTTON.-BUD WOBM IN COEN, 4C. 
Messrs. Editors — I have been a subscriber to your 
invaluable journal only for this year, but I find I have re- 
ceived information already which I could not have gained 
otherwise in years by my own judgment. I find in your 
journal communications from many of the first farmers of 
the South upon different subjects, but more about the im- 
proving of lands that had long since ceased to be produc- 
tive under the old plan of surface or skinning cultiva- 
tion, which have proved to be of great use to me ; but, 
sirs, I have not noticed in any of your communications of 
the best plan to prevent Rust in Cotton on sueh land as 
we have here in the Prairie. Our soil is mostly sand, 
mixed with clay, and is what might be called a sandy 
loam. A few years back this same land was not surpass- 
ed anywhere in the valley of Mississippi for its fertility, 
but for several years cotton has been so severly attacked 
by the Rust that it was entirely killed in the month of 
August, and the yield has been very small. Would not 
it benefit the land and prevent the rust to subsoil I Our 
old, experienced farmers contend that it would destroy 
the fertility that is even now there, to subsoil, but I think 
different 5 fori have noticed in digging ditches through 
the field, that at about the depth it had usually been plow- 
ed there appeared to be a very hard streak about three 
inches thick, indeed so very hai'd that it was with difficul- 
ty that a spade could be forced through. This is my rea- 
son for it : the water, air, or roots cannot penetrate 
through this crust, and when it rains in August the water 
stays on top and the roots being so very shallow the stalk 
scalds and drops its forms and dies immediately after, 
which it has done for several years past, after the first 
heavy i-ain in August. 
And the same reason, I think, is the cause of the 
Bud Worms ruining our Corn every spring. They are 
a small white worm with, apparently, a head at each 
end, as they crawl, with ^qual facility, each way, and ap- 
pear to eat both ways at once. They commence just 
above the roots and eat through in the course of one 
night. 
I should like very much for you to publish this in the 
Cultivator , and remark whether you think my opinions 
are correct or not, and also for your correspondents to 
give their opinions. Yours respectfully, 
Gamaliel. 
Prairie Mer Rouge ^ La., 1854. 
Remark. — We have had no experience which will en- 
able us to enlighten our correspondent; but shall be 
pleased to hear from any of our readers upon the subject. 
— Eds. 
Indications of a Good Cow.— To the marks furnished 
by the veins and the scutcheons, says Magne, are to be 
added the following : 
“ A homogenous, very voluminous but yielding udder, 
sinking much by milking, covered with a thin skin and 
fine hair; a good constitution, an ample chest, regular ap- 
petite and great inclination to drink ; flesh rather lean than 
fat ; a slender, supple skin ; soft, short hair ; a small head, 
fine horns, quick eye, gentle look, feminine air, and fine 
neck. 
SOLIDIFIED tvttt.-r- , 
Some time since we noticed the discovery of a Mr. 
Blatchford. of New York, of a process for solidifying milk, 
by which it was converted into cakes and kept pore and 
sweet for any lengtn ot time. The New York Academy of 
Medicine, to which the process was submitted for investi- 
gation, placed the subject in charge of a Committee, who, 
at a late meeting, through their Chairman, Dr. Geisoom, 
made a report which is summed up thus by aconespon- 
dent of the N. O. Bulletin : 
“The paper commenced by referring to the many methods 
u«ed to preserve food for long voyages, etc., and particu- 
larly upon the hitherto futile results of all attempts to pre- 
serve milk without admixture- The committee have careful- 
ly examined the whole process of manufacture, and have 
traced the milk through every process, from the cow to the 
consumer. The process of manufacture is simply that of con - 
centrationby boiling. The milk is placed in shallow pans, 
and after a mere trifle of carbonate of soda is added (a 
drachm to ten gallons,) to neutralize any acid that may be 
f irmed by the first application of heat, it is then boiled 
down to half its quantity, then some pure white sugar is 
added and the evaporation is continued till it is left in 
solid cakes like soap. In this state tbe chemical and 
microscopical characteristics are lefc unchanged, the butter 
globules remaining intact. One pound of this is worth 
twenty-five cents, and is equivalent to five pints of milk. 
To effect this change, it is to be dissolved in water, when 
it is fresh country milk, scarcely distinguishable from the 
best fresh milk, save that it is somewhat sweeter, and ca- 
pable of being used for all culinary purposes, the same as 
milk fresh from the cow. 
“As at present manufactured, there is a very slight 
empyreumatic flavor to it, which is expected to be entirely- 
obviated by future changes now effecting in the imple- 
ments used. The paper will shortly be published.” 
