240 
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
to cure the disease, even after the horse had fallen, ap- 
parently to die, that he had cured a great many, &c., &c. 
Ke then stated, that as soon as the horse took the dis- 
• ease a slit should be cut, about an inch long, immediately 
■ over each hole in the side of the head (I have recently in- 
'spected an old horse’s skull and find the hole about three- 
"eighths of an inch in diameter) and then run the fore- 
‘finger in and tear the skin loose all around for an inch, 
Uhen take a small spaying needle and run it up the hole 
)for an inch or so, and let out the obstructing matter, which 
will be very offensive if the horse has been diseased for 
several days; then insert under the skin, round about, a 
smfill quantity of some strong sented herb (I think he 
mentioned “ Tansey and Rue,” though as to the herb he 
did not seem very particular,) well heated with an equal 
portion of common salt ; this done, the horse will be well 
in a few days. 
His companion attested the certainty and efficacy of 
the remedy. I will only add, that should any one think 
proper to try the prescription, and it should prove effect- 
ual, I trust he will report thereon. 
My experience confirms the prevailing opinion, that 
the disease called “ Blind Staggers” is produced by eating 
“immature” or “ late new ground corn.” W. J. A. 
Hay good County^ Tenn., June, 1855. 
PLOWING IN DROUTH PHILOSOPHICAILY CON- 
SIDERED.” 
Editors Southern Cultivator— In the June number 
of your paper is an article with the above caption, and 
as you invite your “practical and observing readers” to 
give their opinion on this important subject, you have 
here the opinion of one who is not a practical tiller of the 
.soil, and who professes to know no more of the matter 
than can be learned by observation and reflection. The 
present season has no doubt caused many to philosophize 
•on -this subject, and among others the writer, who has 
arrived at a very different conclusion from your cor- 
respondent “ J.” This conclusion is, that in a dry season, 
the surface of the ground (say one and-a-half inches,) 
• should be thoroughly pulverized, but that deep plowing is 
■atjurious. 
The pulverizing of the surface answers the purpose of 
mulching, and prevents the moisture of the soil below 
from evaporating; while deep plowing is injurious, be- 
. cause it breaks the roots of the crop, and causes the 
moisture of the soil, in which the plant gets its nourish- 
^ment, to evaporate. Though there seems to be an 
'inconsistency in this, it is only an apparent inconsis-' 
'tency, which vanishes when we reflect upon the manner 
dn which the moisture is abstracted from the ground. 
The evaporation takes place at the surface, and the mois- 
iture from below is brought to the surface by capillary 
attraction. Now think of the degree of porosity at which 
this attraction will go on and the matter is plain. This 
hint will be sufficient for those acquainted with the laws 
of natural philosophy, “ J’s” crust, which he seems to 
value as a retainer of moisture, I consider to be just the 
reverse, unless it covers a layer of very porous dry soil, 
or is impervious to water. Another objection to the crust 
is that it prevents the- air from circulating under the 
ground, as well as it would if it were broken. 
But to express the idea without philosophical terms, 
one may easily test the matter by a simple experiment. 
Fill three boxes six inches deep with earth, and.po^ir; 
ever them equal quantities of water, enough to #ei'fhc’ 
earth thoroughly. Then pack the earth in one box, leave 
two undisturbed (they will be in the condition of plowed 
land after a good rain, while the first will be in tne 
condition of unplowed land). As soon as the crust 
forms and becomes dry, break it to the depth of ope 
and one-half inches on one of the two and leave it on 
the other. If my theory is right, the packed box will 
dry first, the one with the crust pulverized, last. If we 
add a fourth box, and stir it from the bottom occasion- 
ally, it would show the effects of deep plowing. The 
boxes, of course, should be exposed day and night. 
P. 
STANFORD’S WILDGRAS5-EGYPTIAN MULET-TROY 
AND CHILI WHEAT, &C. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — I am requested to 
give you a statement of the growth of about an ounce of 
Wild Grass seed I received from my friend Major Jno. R. 
Stanford, of Clarksville, Ga. I drilled it about eighteen 
inches apart in the rows; it came up and grew finely. 
I sowed it in October ; it grew finely through the winter; 
in the spring it headed about four feet high. I gathered 
about one peck of seed and sent it to my plantation. The 
same bed 1 first planted grew finely through the winter. 
I have cut it for my milch cows ; it is now about three 
feet high and headed ; I planted a sandy land, not rich ; 
I live in latitude thirty- three and a half north ; I have no 
doubt but that it is a valuable grass. 
I have planted the Egyptian Millet several years, and 
find it better than anything for feeding green ; planted in 
rich land, about three feet between the rows, and about 
two feet in the rows, four or five .grains in a place; what 
you want for seed must be put in hills, four feet apart, 
and not more than about two grains jn a hill; they will 
be certain to ripen and in great quantity. Horses, mules, 
or cows will keep fat on this Millet, cut and given to 
them without any other food. Two or three acres is 
enough for forty head of mules or liorses. You may cut 
after it is three feet high and you increase the qnantity 
every time you cut it, and before you are over, it will be 
as high the next time. I plant Doura Corn for my hogs with 
the same success. I have sowed Wheat from Troy, in Asia 
Minor ; I am greatly pileased with it ; this is the se- 
cond year, from an ounce of Wheat sent me from the 
Patent Office. I sow in rows, two feet apart, and work 
it over once in the spring, just before it leaves the ground. 
I planted one half-bushel this year; I have a small quan- 
tity from Chilli, in South America ; I planted one half- 
pint ; I have no doubt of getting a bushel of Wheat. You 
may place this in the Southern Cultivator if you think 
proper. I am greatly benefitted by taking it myself and 
furnishing my overseer with it. 
Your Old Friend, Elisha Strong, 
Aberdeen, May, 1855. 
CURE FOR BUND STAGGERS IN THE HORSE. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — This fatal disease is, 
in the West, attributed to feeding on corn of the first year’s 
ground, ehargeable, perhaps, to the want of maturity, in 
consequence of late planting and bad culture. 
My experiment, with the facts in the case, is this. A 
Missourian trader, who had from necessity fed new 
ground corn, had two horses attacked. One, which was 
taken some six or eight hours in advance of the other, 
died ; the survivor, then hopeless to all appearance, was 
experimented on by request of the owner as follows : an 
incission was made in the face, of six or eight inches to 
the bone ; a large gimblet was then bored in it, ranging 
between the eyes to the hollow ; spirits of turpentine was 
freely rubbed into the cut, around the roots of the ears and 
throat; next a drench containing two grains strychnine 
and an enema of castor oil containing six to ten drops 
croton oil was administered. An hour elapsed and the 
horse yet lived, thongh crazy ; another drench and enema 
was given* and six or eight hours after though “ dead on 
foot” he was composed, accepted the first food for about 
fifty hours, and gradually though slowly recovered. 
Mount Lebanon, La., May, 1855. Farmer. 
