SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
183 
planting sweet potatoes on level geotjnd— 
SUBSOrLIKG, &C. 
Editors Southern Cultitator— In the April number 
of the Cidtivator, is a communication about planting Sweet 
Potatoes on level ground, an excellent method, which 
ought always to be followed. Always anxious to simpli- 
fy all labors, instead of complicating them, you will kind- 
ly excuse me for making a few remarks in regard to the 
many tools recommended for that task : first breaking up 
the ground with some kind of plow ; then taking a shovel 
plow; next running a roofer; after that using a 
coulter, and at, last a scooter. 
How would it do to take a real good subsoiling plow 
and have the work executed in a superior way at once, 
and have done with it”? 
1 am a great advocate for subsoiling, a way which I 
have followed for more than thirty-five years, and the 
superior advantages of which but few sensible agricultur- 
ists will doubt any longer. My object in penning these 
lines is merely to draw attention to a plow which I am 
using. It is one of John Rich’s, and called the “Wash- 
ington plow.” Tw’O good horses or mules will easily run 
it 15 inches deep at once, on my pine-woods land. It 
cuts the furrow very perpendicular, runs it nicely hori- 
zontal at the bottom, and throws the soil out as finely as a 
farmer will wish; it also works itself very clean, and, con- 
sidering the work it is doing, must be said to run easy. It 
thus comprises most of the good qualities which can be 
expected from a plow. In short, it is the best tool I ever 
met with for cultivating the soil deeply. Many of my 
friends have doubted the correctness of this statement, but 
all who visited me and examined it for themselves have 
been so fully convinced that they, in general, requested me 
to order similar ones for them. 
When the soil is thus thoroughly broken up (and I have 
done it even with land that one year previous was over- 
grown with trees) the land is in fine order for planting 
any crop. Robert Nelson. 
Macon, Ga., April, 4855. 
of turning in a narrow compass, but wheels being of equal 
height does not increase this difficulty. 
As the fulcrum of the wheel is at the bottom, it follows 
that its motion increases as the distance from the bottom 
increases, and if a horizontal line (imaginary) be drawn, 
passing through the centre of motion, the velocity of that 
part above the line will be five times greater than tlie part 
below. 
A wagon with two inch tire will sink in the ground four 
times deeper than a four inch tire, all things else being 
equal. The latter having double the space to sustain the 
load and only half the weight on any given space. I 
merely mention the four inch tire for the sake ofillustration, 
three or three and a half being amply sufficient. Hoping 
some intelligent mechanic may possibly improve on these 
hints, I am gentlemen, A Blacksmith, 
[in Aliss. Consen'ative. 
THE WAGON. 
SHEEP REARING. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Living within a few 
miles of the junction of the Charleston and Memphis and 
Mobile and Ohio Railroad, I am turning my attention 
some little to sheep, and I wish to know, through your very 
valuable paper, what quantity of ewes one buck will serve 
w'ell. I have had fine luck with sheep in North Mississip- 
pi, where I have lived some six years ; have to feed 
but little. Some one of your patrons more conversant with 
the management of sheep, will please give their experi- 
ence through your paper, and very much oblige a new 
hand at the enterprise. 
Most respectfully yours, &c., R. E. H. 
Jacinto, Aliss., May, 1855. 
Remarks. — Randall says, in his valuable “Sheep 
Husbandry,” p. 1^97, that “yearling may run with 30 
esves; a two year old, with from 40 to 50 ; and a tlwee 
year old, from 50 to 60,” &c. By far too little attention 
is paid to this subject among us, and we join our corres- 
pondent in soliciting the sheep experience of our readers; 
and will also be pleased to receive the articles alluded to 
in his note. — Eds. 
It is evident that the larger the wheels of a vehicle are, 
so much the lighter is the draft, until the centre of their 
circumference becomes equal in height to the horse’s 
breast. Besides, large v/heels produce less friction, be- 
cause their velocity is less than small wheels, and the lat- 
ter sink deeper in a soft road, thereby increasing the dif- 
ficulty of transportation. The advantage of larger wheels 
than those in common use will further appear when we 
take into consideration that the fulcrum is at the bottom. 
The average height of the fore-wheels is not commonly 
over forty inches, which would only give the horses a 
lever power of twenty inches over the weight ; moreover 
the weight is at too great a distance below the horses’ 
breasts. If v/e should increase the height of the wheel to 
sixty inches, it would give the team a lever power of thirty 
inches ; still leaving the weight sufficiently low, making a 
difference in favor of the horses of fifty per cent. 
We can see no good reason why the hind- wheels should 
be larger than those before. It seems to us that they 
should be equal, the opinion of some wagoners to the con- 
trary notwithstanding. Suppose, for instance, the fore- 
wheels should be four and the hind wheels six. The in- 
clination forward of the line of traction would tend to 
press the load into the earth, and, consequently, increase 
the difficulty of drawing. If there be any advantage in 
having the wheels of different heights, why is it that the 
intelligent constructors of steam cars have not availed 
themselves of it I The advantage of larger wheels is 
somewhat lessened, it is true, by the increased difficulty 
ECONOMY IN FEEDING STOCK, 
Editors Southern Cultivator — Having seen in your 
Marc’n number an article from my friend. Dr Gores, (one 
of the most practical planters) on the Cow Pea, m.ay I ask 
you to request him to give us his mode of using the shuck 
of the corn, as he used it in Alabama in the year 1842, 
when he took charge of his father’s estate. That year the 
crop of corn was scant and I noticed that the mules were 
kept in fine order. 
I have known for some that he had that peculiar tact of 
keeping his mules in (some* new way) fine condition, and 
this article on preserving Cow Pea hay makes me curious 
to learn how he feeds the shuck to so great advantage 
without cutting them up, by which nearly one-half the 
usual quantity of corn is dispensed with, and the mules 
kept in fine order. 
I had designed calling on the Doctor, but the low stage 
of the Arkansas river prevented, and the hurry which a 
loss of one stage down caused. I was, however, much 
pleased with this part of Arkansas and am resolved to 
visit it again before I purchase elsewhere, as I learned the 
Doctor is very much pleased. The lands are certainly 
rich and cheap, and could I be sure of health, nothing 
would hinder me from moving out. W. 
Arkansas Co,, April, 1855. 
^'The old way is corn and fodder. 
