SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
m 
double-horse teams. The animal is perfectly tractable, 
i Plis attendant .rides him, while a colored man guides the 
■: plow. The elephant is also used for carting large loads 
= of gravel in a cart arranged purposely for him, and in 
drawing stone on a stone-boat or drag, in piling up wood, 
timber, &c., and in making himself generally useful. 
Depth of Soil — Its Importance. — If 50 be assumed 
as the value of a given soil, when it is six inches deep,. its 
; value, when of different depths is estimated by Thaer as 
; follows ; 
If 3 inches deep it is worth 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
Hence, each man may make an estimate for himself, 
with regard to every variety of his soil, whether the cost 
of increasing its depth will equal or exceed its value, after 
the task is completed. It is certain that all situations will 
not return the amount required to render them fertile to a 
considerable depth. 
WOKS FOK THE MONTE-(JUNE.) 
[June (Latin, Junius) was from Juno, one of the fabled 
goddesses of the Romans, and wife of Jupiter, their chief 
deity. It answers to the Jewish Tammuz, the tenth of 
their civil, and fourth of their sacred year. It had several 
names with the Saxons, as the Sere-monath, or Dry- 
month ; the Aerra-Litha, or Former-ruild-month, and also 
the Midsummer, or Midsummer -month. \ 
TEE PLANTATION. 
Continue to -plant Corn at all favorable opportunities, 
plowing up deeply a few acres after every rain, and put- 
ting it into the ground in the best manner. Ourselves and 
many others in various parts of the country, made very 
fair crops last year after the “latter rains” of June and 
July — but the sooner you plant now the better. After the 
lirst hoeing, give your corn a top-dressing of Gypsum, 
Ashes, and Salt — 10 parts of the first, 4 of the second, and 
1 of Salt. It will be of great benefit in a dry season, and 
no injury at- any time. Try it, if you can obtain the 
Plaster. (See remarks on Plaster or Gypsum, in Answers 
to Inquiries.) Work your early Corn as often as possible, 
giving the roots a deep mellow bed in which to extend 
themselves, and leaving the surface level and well pulver- 
ized. 
Plant plenty of Cov: Peas, using Plaster as a top dress- 
ing, after they are well up. It will act like magic on lands 
deficient in lime. Plant, also, plenty of Pumpkins among 
your Corn, or in a separate patr.h. Milch cows and hogs 
relish them greatly, and they ai-e quite fattening when 
boiled up with meal or bran. 
Cotton will need constant and unremitting attention 
during the present month. Scrape and nvould the ^lant 
as soon as possible; keep the weeds down, and the 
ground in a state of fine “tilth.” 
Sow, in the drill, in your richest land, large quantities 
of Corn and Millet for fodder, Sioeet Potato Slips should 
be transplanted now as soon as possible. Dip the root 
in a thick batter — made by stirring fine leaf mould and 
scrapings from the cow pen into water — plant them pretty 
deep and shade.the ground around them with a few hand- 
fuls of leaves, and they will “grow off” finely, even in 
this thirsty weather. Just before sundown is the best 
time for this operation with “slips.” Wheat, Oats, and 
early Millet may now be cut, and stacked up carefully on 
a platform of rails raised several inches above around; or, 
(which is still better) put under cover immediately. 
THE KITCHEN GARDEN. 
Little can be done, the present month in the Garden, 
with the exception of mulching, weeding and watering. 
We regard the first operation {mulching) Q.S, of paramount 
importance in this climate, and have spoken of it more 
particularly elsewhere. Mulch everything — trees, shrubs, 
vines and vegetables — covering the surface of the earth, 
as far as the roots exfend, with four or five inches of pine 
straw, chip mould, spent tan, sawdust or forest leaves — 
and you will find that trees and plants thus treated grow 
much faster, and receive little or no check from the long 
continued drouths of mid-summer. Water should now 
be freely and regularly applied to all your growing veget^ 
ables, in the manner heretofore directed — leaving no mois- 
ture exposed on the surface to the sun’s’ baking rays. Thi» 
is an excellent time to attack the weeds, and you must 
show them no quarter. Cut them down and let them die 
on the surface; or, dig them up, and burn them, root, 
branch and seed. Seeds of Cabbage, Cauliflower, Celery, 
&c., may be sown under low arbors, made of brush and 
pine tops, in order to shelter them from the fierce rays of 
the sun. Wafer often, until the plants are well up, when 
a little liquid manure may be used alternately with the 
water, from time to time. Plant a full crop of Okra, with- 
out delay. Plant Peas and Siveet Corn and Snap Beans, 
for a succession. Transplant Tomatoes, Cabbages, early 
Celery, &c., &c., and prick out Cdery, Cauliflowers and 
Brocoli. Pinch off the leading shoots of your early To- 
matoes, Dima Beans, Melons and Cucumbers, if you want 
the fruit to set early; and give the plants liquid manure if 
you desire large specimens. Strawberry Beds must be 
kept free from weeds, well mulched with leaves or 
“broom- straw” and freely watered in dry weather. If you 
desire fruit, cut* off all the runners as fast as they ap- 
pear, and keep the ground cool and moist. But if you . 
wish to increase your the mulching may be dis- 
pensed with (except immediately around the plants as di- 
rected last month) and the surface must be kept clean, 
open and mellow. 
THE ORCHARD. 
The frost has thinned out most of our fruit very 
thoroughly, but such of our readers as are more fortunate, 
should not, allow their young trees, especially, to bear too 
heavily — thin the fruit from one-third to one-half, if the 
branches are heavily laden, and the remainder will be 
enough larger and finer to pay for your trouble. Peaches, 
Plums, Nectarines, Apricots, &c., may now be budded, by 
those who still practice budding, wjiich we have discon- 
tinued, except in particular cases; preferring to graft into 
good roots during the winter. Such as desire to bud the 
Apricot, may use free growing and vigorous stocks of the 
Chickasaw Plum with decided advantage, but the tree 
must be trained low and branching, instead of tall, slender 
and “spindling.” Mulch all young trees set out last 
spring, and give them a copious watering occasionally. 
Turn your small “shoats” into the orchard to devour fall- 
en fruit, and encourage them to “root,” or loosen up the 
earth, by scattering a handful of corn to them occasional- 
ly, underneath the frees. Large hogs are frequently de- 
structive to orchards, tearing and mutilating the branches 
in their efforts to obtain the fruit, even when the ground 
is thickly strewn with it. 
