276 
SOUTHEBN CULTIVATOR. 
thoroughly it is pulverized the greater the quantity, and 
the higher the moisture will rise, for this process increases 
idle number and diminishes the size of the capillary tubes. 
It is true that a porous body radiates heat and moisture 
fester than a more dense one ; but the moisture evaporated 
by radiation is largely overbalanced by the increased cap- 
illary action, leaving altogether out of view the advantage 
gained by the earlier radiation of heat at night, thus facili- 
tating the formation of dew upon the surface, which the 
porous land much more readily absorbs. This is the 
philosophy of surface culture during the prevalence of a 
drouth (if the land has been deeply and well broken up) 
by frequently stirring the surface, the crust formed by the 
sun and dew is destroyed, and the heat absorbed during 
the day is sooner radiated at night. It was a long time 
before I could reconcile this surface culture with capillary 
attraction, absorbtion and radiation of heat and moisture 
consequent upon deep plowing ; it seemed to be antagon- 
istic, but, properly considered, it is but part and parcel of 
the same thing, and perfectly in accordance with the laws 
governing them ; for as you pulverize the surface of deep 
plowed land you lessen the size of the capillaries; thus 
inducing the moisture to rise higher, and, at the same 
lime, you lessen the power of radiation, because the finely 
pulverized surface approaches density, 
I commenced deep plowing last season, I broke up 
the land full six inches, and subsoiled about 40 acres six 
or seven inches deeper. I candidly confess that my ex- 
pectations were not fully realized last season, but think I 
understand the reason, viz : The deep culture was not 
continued late enough — the commencement of the season 
was dry; after the 1st of May, excessively wet until 
about the middle of July, after which we had no rain for 
eight weeks and one day. The grass threatened at one 
time to take entire possession, and forced me to cultivate 
with a view to its destruction alone, and when the rains 
eeased and the land was sufficiently dry to ploWf deep my 
team was too much exhausted to do so. 
This season has been peculiarly adapted to test the 
efficacy of deep plowing, having been dry from the begin- 
ning, the ground has not been saturated since the plows 
started before the 1st of January, indeed we have not had 
a “a good season,” The old fogies admit my crop to be 
the best in the neighborhood on similar land, both corn 
and cotton, but refuse to ascribe it to the true cause — 
deep plowing. The cotton on the subsoiled portion is 
felly 50 per cent, better than on similar deep plowed, but 
not subsoiled land. The cotton crop is now in a con- 
dition when farmers usually run over with sweeps, and 
lay by ; but I intend doing what the "old fogies” say is 
the worst policy of all, and that is, to run at least three 
furrows with a bull-tongue as deep as possible, but not 
near enough to injure the roots, then sweep and lay it by, 
unless a heavy rain should form a crust on the surface 
before the plants shade the land. The cotton is beginning 
to mature its fruit and henceforth needs more moisture 
than at any time previously. 
The arguments in favor of deep plowing are just as 
strong of a wet season — the rain water is more readily ab- 
sorbed — permeates the land deeper, retains all its fertilizing 
properties and holds them as v/ell as the moisture longer 
for the sustenance of the plant, which under scratching 
system would run off and be lost, besides washing the 
soil with it. The roots of the plants would penetrate deeper 
— farther from the effects of the sun, and of an excessively 
wet season not be halfso liable to be scalded or drowned. 
I must apologize for the length of this letter, I had no 
idea of writing so much when I began, A reply, either, 
through the columns of the Cultivator or privately, will 
confer a favor on Yours respectfully, L. P. S. 
CoUinslmg, La.^ June, 1855, 
Bjbmares, — The theory of ouf correspondent is, in all 
essential particulars, the same that we have held and ad- 
vocated for many years, and will be found in practice^. 
fully to realize his expectations. We should be delighted 
to know that all our readers understood and practiced iu 
We hold, also, that both Corn and Cotton should be sur- 
face-worked repeatedly by harrows, cultivators or horse- 
hoes, until the blades or branches interlock so that the- 
further passage of horses or mules is impossible. — Eds. 
EGYPTIAN OATS. 
A CORRBSPONDEKT in the January number of the Ar/ieri- 
can Cotton Planter, enquired for information "on the cul- 
ture and raising of Egyptian Oats,” to whom Mr. Thomas 
Affleck, of Mississippi, replies as follows: 
" This oat is a large, plump, white grain, differing frona 
any of some thirty odd varieties of oats I procured from 
Scotland one season and grew here, and excelling them- 
all in thrifty growth, and resistance of frost — what say 
you anti-habitationists to that fact 7 and yield of plump,, 
well filled grains. It was originally introduced, it is posi- 
tively asserted, from Egypt to this country, many years- 
ago, perhaps forty or more. I have had them weigh, re- 
peatedly, over 42 lbs. per streaked bushel. They require- 
good land, of course, to yield well; and land in which 
lime is present. Cotton seed, however, will produce them 
on almost any soil. 
The Egyptian Oat should be sown not later than 1st 
September, if possible, or from middle of August to first 
of October. They may be grazed during winter ; but I 
am doubtful of the good effect on young stock, unless the 
extent of oats to be grazed is large in proportion to the 
quantity of stock. If allowed to become fully ripe before 
being cut, enough drop to seed the ground again ; or if 
they are fed down by stock. In either case they should 
be plowed in shallow, and peas sown broadcast immedi- 
ately after and hoed in well. In fact, both operations 
should go on at once, as at that season we often lack rain, 
and the ground, when newly turned up, would have 
moisture enough to sprout the pea. By the time the peas 
are eaten down, there will be a fine stand of oats, to which 
the pea vine will serve as a fine manure a la Gurney, I 
have seen this process carried on through three years in 
the same field — s«lf-sowed oats again followed by self- 
sowed Tory peas, and s.o on. The soil was greatly im- 
proved, so that the crop of corn which followed was a 
superb one. The peas and oats were eaten off by stock, 
however, each time. The first sowing of peas may be 
drilled and tended, if desired. Plaster or gypsum — (sul- 
phate of lime) is a specific manure for the peas, as for all 
leguminous plants, and will force a noble crop upon the 
poorest land. 
HY2)E0PH0BIA~H0W TO USE POKE EOOT— EEEDING 
SHUCKS, &C. 
Editors Southern Cultivator — The mode of ad- 
mistering the Poke Root is to make a strong decoction, 
and give a wine glass full when the patient feels the parox- 
ysm coming on, and it will relax the spasm immediately. 
My mode of feeding the shuck to stock is simply to wet 
with cold water and suffer itto remain fi’om six to twenty- 
four hours, and the coim should be put in soak in molasses 
or whisky barrels for twenty-four hours before using, and 
any man using in this way that cannot keep a fat team 
should quit planting. I save all my shucks, and, for fear of 
injury, pack in bales with strips of timber at bottom and 
top, and not a shuck do I throw away. They are far pre- 
ferable to fodder for mules. Respectfully, 
Jas, L. Gorfe 
Cummins, Ark., July, 1855. 
