SOUTHERN CULTlYATOR 
67 
I 
AGEICULTFEAI SDCIETT OF AIABAMA 
We are pleased to learn that a State Agricultural Society 
was organised in Montgomery on the lOtii ult., and will 
hold its first Fair some time next t'lll. There is nothing 
so well calculated to advance the interest and promote the 
cause of Agriculture, as the formation of Agricultural So- 
cieties and the exhibition of the products ef the soil and 
farm yard. These exhibitions beget a laudable spirit of 
emulation, and their ultimate tendency is to improve and 
advance the interest and conditions of the planting and 
stock-raising cfmmunity wherever they are held. 
Below we give a notice of its organization and a list of 
its officers : 
“ The Agricultural meeting for the organization of a 
State Agricultural Society, convened in the Court House 
on tlte 10th ult., as per previous notice. After the usual 
temporary organization of the meeting, a Committee was 
appointed to draft a Constitution for the Society, which 
was done and adopted by the Society. Under the Con- 
stitution, as adopted, the following named gentlemen were 
elected officers of the Society: 
“President — Col. Isaac C room. Secretary — N. B. 
Cloud. Treasurer — Col. C. T. Pollars. 
^‘VicE Presidents — Dr. B N. Pow'ell, Macon; John 
Goldthwaite, Coosa; Judge B. S. Bibb, Montgomery; 
Dr. Wm. S Price, Marengo ; Absolom Jackson, Autauga; 
T. B. Betha, Mobile, and Gov. H. W. Collier, Tuscaloosa. 
“Executive Committee. — E. A. Holt, Chairman; R. 
F. Ligon, Dr. C. Bellinger, R. P. Powell, John M. Cheney, 
E. F. Montague, CoL Lewis Owen, M. A. Baldwin, P. P. 
Graves. 
“ After making the preliminary arrangements for a 
State Fair in the fall, the Society adjourned to its annual 
meeting to be held during the Fair.” 
PEEPARmG LAIH) FOB CORK. 
r 
As the time for planting this most important crop is 
rapidly approaching, a few hints on the proper prepara- 
tion of the soil may not be inappropriate. The warfare 
now' raging in Europe, w'ith the excessive drouths we have 
had in the last few years, the certainty of an increased de- 
mand at high figitres, all combine to draw, from every 
farmer, increased attention to itiis subject. In making 
preparations for a new crop of corn, we would suggest to 
our readers that they cannot commence their operations 
too soon, nor push them toofast when they do commence. 
The first grand prerequisite necessary is a team and plow, 
not a mere excuse by which, with hard pushing, the land 
may possibly be scratched to the depth of three or four 
inches, but a plow that will not only break your land but 
break it thoroughly. Land that is only half broken will 
never more than half produce under the best system of 
tillage of a seasonable year, while the product of such 
land, of a dry season, is certainly anything but encourag 
ing. It is to the interest of every planter that his corn 
land be deep and thoroughly broken. Not a furrow ever 
should be run short of a depth of ten inches, while even 
fourteen inches would not be too much. The advantiige- 
of deep plowing are so many and so plain to be seen, thai 
we deem it useless to dwell upon them at length. Corn 
growing upon land broke ten or fourteen inches deep 
derives a greater benefit, in any season, by being better 
able to expand its roots to a larger extent of soil, and thu- 
gather increased strength and sustenance, than it does from 
land not broke so deep, in which the roots are nccessaril) 
contracted and are forced to occupy a small space, or forct 
their way through a firm and unbroken soil. But in i- 
dry season the advantage of deep plowing are incalcul 
able. Then it is that the great advantages of this principk 
are to be seen wherever put in practice. Land deep and 
thoroughly broke never suffers for the want of rain, even 
in our warm climate. By breaking our land deep, tl.e 
roots of the corn penetrate to a greater depth than in shal- 
low broke land, and by this means are enabled to draw a 
sufficient supply of moisture, from its increased dejith, in- 
dependent of rain. Nor is this all; for, should the season 
prove wet, the surface moisture sinks down to the bottom 
of the deeply plowed land, and is theie stored away as in 
a reservoir, upon which tVe roots can draw for sustenance 
ad. libitum. Mnnurs well — Plow deer and plant early! 
if you desire corn to “sell and to keep.” 
Clubbing — The Horticulturist and Cultivator. — 
There was a mistake in our notice respecting the terras of 
our journal and the Horticulhiii^t , in the December num- 
ber of 1854. The price should have been 25 instead 
of S2 per year. But all who remit S'2 prior to the first of 
February, shall receive both in accordance with our notice. 
After the 1st-., we shall be obliged, in justice to ourselves, 
to charge S2.25; at which rate they are “cheap enough,” 
in all reason. 
ST. MAEY^S BANK 
Our subscrilaers are respectfully notified that we ne 
longer continue to take Bills of i!ie above bank in pay- 
ment for subscriptions. The issues of all other solvent 
specie paying Banks in the Southern States will be taken 
at par, as usuaL 
To Correspondents. — “Quinati E. J., of Horse Pen, 
Ala.; J. T., of Hancock co., Ga., and many others will 
appear in our next. 
TO KEEP BEANS, ENGLISH PEAS, ^C., FOB SEED. 
Messrs. Editors — After drying them thoroughly, put 
them in glass bottles, or, if in large qucinthies, in jugs o-f 
earthen or stone ware ; add to a common quart bottle a 
teaspoonful of spirits of turpentine — a gallon jug does not 
require much more. Keep it tightly corked and the atmos- 
phere within is fatal to all insects. A lump of gum cam- 
phor is as good as the spirits of turpentine. 
Wm. N. White. 
Athens, Ga., Jan., 1855. 
^^Dr. Eben Wight, of Boston, will accept our thanks 
for 
“ Reports of the ConimiUees of 18.54, of the Masso.- 
chiisetts Horticultural Society, with the Schedule oj Pricres 
for 1855.” 
Hon. Aarok T. Brown, of Tennessee, has our thanks, 
also, for an “ A^ricultiirat Addre.'^s'’ delivered at Knox- 
ville, last October.. It is a very imciesting and eloquect 
production, and has been widely read and admired. 
THE NATIONAL POULTRY SHOW- 
The second Annual Fair of the National Society 
for the Improvement of Domestic Poultry, was opened at 
the American Museum in this city yesterday. Over 6CO 
coops have already arrived, and tins number will be in- 
creased to-day, it is thought, to at least 1000. The as^oit- 
inent of poultry is very large niKl ricli, and embraces al- 
most every known species. The Mandarin Ducks im- 
ported by Mr. Giles, of Connecticut, are particularly at- 
tractive. This show will be far superior to the previous 
one, and indeed to anything of tlie kind ever before held 
in this country, and will no doubt attract a largo tiutu.bcr 
of visitors . — New York Times, of January 1C. 
