SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
219 
so well known that any discussionof its merits is unneces- 
sary. It has no rival, in this countiy, on the subjects 
which it treats upon, and we doubt not, it will longremain 
in its present position, a guide and leader in all matters 
of tasteful rural embellishment. The present edition is 
very superior in paper, type and binding, and is orna- 
mented with an accurate portrait of Mr. Downing. 
It may be ordered from C. M. S.axton & Co., New 
York. Price S3 50. 
Putnam’s Monthly has lately passed into the hands of 
Messrs. Dix & Edwards, 10 Park Place, New York, and 
it is simple justice to say that under tlie new management 
it fully sustains the high literary character for which it has 
always been distinguished. As an exponent of American 
thought and opinion, it deserves well of all sections, and 
will continue to receive support so long as it is conducted 
in a purely National spirit. We wish the new publishers 
abundant success. Terms — S3 per annum. Address the 
publishers, as above. 
Household Words, by Chas. Dickens, is republished, 
also, by the same gentlemen, in neat monthly parts at 25 
cents each. Address Dix & Edwards, 10 Park Place, 
New York. 
The Knickerbocker, our old favorite, continues as 
scliolarlike, genial, racy and amusing as ever. It never 
flags or becomes tiresome, but presents, each month, 
some new and attractive feature to instruct and delight its 
readers. 
Terms — $3 per annum, Samuel Heuston, publisher. 
New York. 
Several other books, pamphlets, &c,, will receive 
attention in our next. 
Green Pastures and Lowing Herds — A travelling 
correspondent of the Savannah Republican, writes thus 
from Middle Tennessee: 
“The best farming country we saw anywhere, is observ- 
ed on approaching Murfreesboro, formerly the capital of 
the State ; and it was here that we beheld a sight which 
had not before presented itself to our view — that was, 
beautiful green pastures, with cattle and horses quietly 
cropping the tender grass. 0, that our own sweet Georgia 
had many more of these delightful landscapes than she 
has! — then, with its rolling hills and bright skies, would 
it be indeed a paradise” 
PLANTING IN MISSISSIPPI— DEEP AND SHALLOW 
PLOWING, AC. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — It gives me much 
pleasure to add my name to the list of yoiir subscribers. 1 
saw a number of your valuable paper last year for the first 
time, and was so struck with its adaptedness to the wants 
of every farmer and of myself in particular, that I immedi- 
ately resolved to send for the bound volume of 1853, and 
subscribe for the paper regularly in future.' The volume 
has come to hand, beautifully bound, and with but one 
fault, viz; that the Binder put in tiw July numbers and 
no August number. With this single exception it is the 
most complete thing of the kind that I have ever seen. 
Will you be kind enough to send me the August number, 
of 18.53, and the January number of 18541 1 have 
ceived the Eebruary and March numbers but the January 
number was omitted. As I wish to have all the volumes 
bound in future, I am desirous of preserving every num- 
ber. 
My experience in farming is of 40 years standing, and 
embraces the States of Virginia, Alabama and Missis- 
sippi. I have been engaged in the culture of Tobacco, 
Wheat, Cotton and Indian Corn, and have always.found 
that deep plowing was half the battle. I reside at present 
in what is known as the “Petit Gulf region.” Our soil 
and climate are admirably adapted to the culture of cotton. 
The seed from this neighborhood are eagerly sought after 
and widely disseminated every year through most of the 
cotton growing States, being generally known, as the 
“Petit Gulf Cotton Seed.” We raise fair crops of corn, but 
we have not lime enough in our soil to give us a heavy 
yield per acre. Our crops range from 15 to 40 bushels 
per acre. We are sadly in want of some good plow with 
which we can fallow our gound to the the depth of some 
eight or ten inches.* * The plows manufactureed here will 
hardly go in the ground over jive inches. The great and 
prevailing fault with the farmers in this part of the State is 
that they don't plow deep enough. I don’t believe that 
there is piece of ground in the country broken up six 
inches deep ! The plows in bedding for corn usually 
cut from two to four inches deep, when they have two 
mules attached, and they think that they are doing a 
great business then. I wish that every planter in Mis- 
sissipi could be induced to subscribe for the Cultivator, 
and would follow its suggestions. I know that we would 
not then see so many moving to the West in search of 
land. Our land in this neighborhood (my place especial- 
ly) is a rich sandy loam, with a red clay subsoil. As 
soon as the soil washes off or is exhausted by surface cul- 
tivation, the field is turned out, and another cleared. The 
only kinds of manure used here are cotton seed and stable 
manure. I know of one or two wealthy farmers who 
have experimented with guano, but it is deemed too costly 
to put on corn land here. I have no doubt of its efficacy 
as a stimulus to corn, and believe that every farmer can 
better afford to pay even sixty dollars per ton for guano 
than to cultivate poor land enough to make him corn. 
I have recommended your paper highly among my ac- 
quaintances and think that I shall induce a good many to 
take it. Persevere, Messrs. Editors, in the noble work 
you have undertaken so successfully, and I feel assured 
that future generations will look upon you as benefactors. 
In conclusion, I crave your pardon for having trespassed 
so much upon your time, and beg that you will accept 
the assurances of the highest esteem of your friend, 
J. F. M. 
Port Gibson, Claiborne, Miss., 1855. 
Nutriment of Onions. — Prof. Johnson gives his opi»- 
ion in favor of onions as a very nutritious vegetable, and 
for laboring men, with strong digestive powers, quite 
healthy. 
It is not merely as a relish that onions are used so large- 
ly by many people, but because they give strength as well 
as a satisfaction of appetite. 
Prof. Johnson ranks onions in point of nutriment witk 
peas. 
In our observ'ations among the city poor we have al- 
ways found the onion a. favorite food, but we had gener- 
ally attributed it to anot^ier cause than because it contain- 
ed a large amount pf nutrim^t. It is also stimulating 
and narcotic, and in cpld wearier, when eaten raw, seems 
to assist to warm tlijebpdy and^ake the want o^fire less 
unendurable. * 
For weak stomachs it certainly cannot be commended 
as a healthy food, ifit is nutritious. — A'. Y. Tribune. 
Now sublime is the virtue that still plants without 
any expectation that it shall ever reap. He most eraulatoa 
the Deity who plants trees lor future genferations. 
*See our notice of the Michigan Double Plow, in An^ 
*swers to Inquiries. 
