32 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
agent by exciting the interest of the commnnity 
and creating a spirit of emulation. But neither 
by them nor any other agent i-an extensive good 
be accomplished without the aid of the press. 
It is this which hnds, or should find, its way into 
every man’s house, and publishes to. all whatev- 
er is interesting or useful.” 
For the Southern Cultivator. 
HOME BEET SEED. 
Mr. Editor— Many are ot opinion that ’oeets 
degenerate, and good seed cannot be raised at 
the South. This is a mi.staken idea, and such 
is doubt it, let them try the following plan.— 
Have the ground rvell prepared, -vyhich is very 
impcjtant with all seed; plant at the distance of 
twenty or twenty-four inches in the drill, and 
thin to about six inches, keeping the ground 
loose by cultivation, and with a favorable sea- 
son you will make fine beets. Then if you 
wishto make 3 '’our own seed in hard times like 
these, and save your sevenpences, select one or 
two of 3 'our best beets, let them remain in the 
ground, drawing a little dirt around them so 
they be somewhat protected through the winter. 
In the spring remove this hill, and they will go 
to seed and do to plant the next spring. But if 
you. wish still better seed, such as you buy in 
the stores, let the same beet remain in the 
ground and attend as before, and the second 
crop of seed wdll be as good or better than those 
usuall}^ kept in the seed stores. No mi.stake. 
A Gardener. 
Green County, Ga. 
agricultural SOCIETIEa 
Within a few years, numerous agricultural 
societies have been formed in Virginia and the 
neighboring States. This fact clearlj^ indicates 
that the spirit of improvement is, progressing; 
for men seldom combine together, except on im- 
portant occasions, and to advance objects which 
they deem to be nearly allied wdth the welfare 
and prosperitj’ of the community. Agricultural 
addresses are also becoming more and more fre- 
quent, almost every society requiring the deliv- 
ery of one from its presiding oliicer, at its annu- 
al meeting. Manj'' of these addresses have been 
distinguished by great ability, and deserve to be 
diligently studied. They breathe the .spirit of 
philosophical inquiry; record the progressive 
improvements wdiich have been made in agri- 
cultural science; detail improved practices and 
interesting and valuable experiments; and there- 
by spread before the people a rich store of infor- 
mation and instruction, calculated to lead to 
beneficial results. 
We would be very far from detracting from 
the merits of these various societies, as at pre- 
sent organized. They have done much good, 
and their influence will continue to be extensive- 
ly felt. For the most part, how^ever, we regard 
them as requiring one modification to render 
them eminently and permanently useful. The 
offer of premiums, it is true, excites emulation 
amongst the several candidates for distinction. 
A patch of com, or wheat, or of roots, is culti- 
vated with the utmost care, and a great product 
is obtained — ten times as much perhaps as un- 
der ordinary culture. Animalsjare fed and pam- 
pered for exhibition; and specimens of domestic 
manufacture, showing great toil and ingenuity, 
are displaj'ed to admiring crow’'ds. This is all 
highly commendable, and highly interesting. — 
These exhibitions, however, should rather be 
considered as the ornaviental part of the institu- 
tions, under whose auspices they are gotten up. 
We would also recommend a ivorlcing depart- 
ment. An example has been set by the agricul- 
tural society of Prince George county, which we 
consider to be worthy of all imitation. It is 
made the duty, bj' its constitution, of every 
member to institute one or more experiments; to 
conduct them with care; and at stated periods to 
report the results, w'hether favorable or other- 
ivise, This plap opens the whole field of action. 
Farmers disagree, more or less, concerning al- 
most every operation. Even the cultivation of 
our universal crop, nameljq Indian com, is the 
subject of great contrariety of opinion; some 
think it best to lay it by at an early stage, others 
coniending for late working; some also being in 
tavor of shallow culture, without disturbing the 
roots, and others of deep culture and tearing the 
roots to pieces. The cotton plant loo, the great 
.staple of the south, liable as it is to so man}" 
casualties and diseases, offers a fit subj ect of in- 
vestigation for the combined action of societies. 
Whether a greatly increased production would 
add much to the net incomes ot the planters is 
perhaps que.stionable; but improvements in the 
mode of culture, and the discovery of some pro- 
tection of the plant again.st blight and other dis- 
eases, whereby a certain product might be attain- 
able, would, at any rate, leave a considerable 
amount of labor to be directed to other objects. 
Such improvement and consequent increased 
production has indeed been already claimed by 
a planter in Alabama, who asserts that the crop 
is capable of being made to yield ten fold the 
usual average, without materially adding to the 
expense of culture. And in regard to wTeat, 
which is the main stay of farmers of the middle 
States, it has become so uncertain of late years, 
that it strongly invites to a course of judicious 
experiments. Wiihout doubt, the most formi- 
dable evil to which it is liable is the rust. Far- 
mers individually, as vv^ell as societies collect- 
ivmlv, should use every exertion in order to dis- 
cover some means of guarding against its rava- 
ges. That these means are within the reach of 
those who diligently and intelligently seek after 
them, cannot be reasonably doubted. Our cli- 
mate has experienced no e.ssential modification; 
seed time and harvest remain the same; but the 
constitution of our soils may have undergone 
some material change under a long course of 
culture. The remedy therefore that would seem 
at least in part, to be indicated, is to restore to 
their constitution those ingredients which are 
best adapted to nouri.sh and sustain the grain. 
So also of other crops, from the greatest to 
the least. It is to enable cultivators to attain 
some uniformity in their managememt; to col- 
lect information on numerous unsettled points; 
to, test the value of new varieties of plants; to 
ascertain the best mode of making, preserving 
and applying manures; in short, to throw light 
upon every thing, and every operation pertain- 
ing to agricultural and rural economy — that 
such a coarse of experimenting recommends it- 
self to the practical farmer. And not the least 
beneficial effect which such a practice would 
produce would be its tendency to call the mind 
into action, and to induce habits of observation 
and inquiry. — Farmers’ Register. 
FARMING IMPLEMENTS. 
The remark we have somewhere, mnf with, 
and it is very probably true, that the arts and 
sciences have made greater advances within the 
last half century, than in the eighteen centuries 
preceding. Among other improvements those 
which have been made, in the. implements of 
husbandry are very great, and they are still in 
rapid progress. There is scarcely an imple- 
ment used by the farmer forty years ago, that is 
not now more or less improv^ed in its model and 
construction, and a great many new and almost 
invaluable implements have been added, These 
iinprovements not only abridge manual labor to 
a highly important extent, but they enable the 
farmer to do his work bettei . A number of ex- 
amples in point might be given, but we need 
only mention the improved plough and harrow, 
the cotton gin, &c. It is manifest that the com- 
munity of farmers in which improved agricul- 
tural implements are introduced and employed, 
enjoys decided advantages oyer that in wlxich 
I the oldj unwieldy, inconvenient implements are 
still made use of. The one is supplied with a 
certain ready force and a skill inmeremachincr 
ry, which the other must supply (if supplied at 
all) with increased wear and waste of human 
sinews. There is perhaps nothing, therefore, 
so vv'ell calculated to promote the agricultural 
prosperity and increase the agricultural wealth 
of a country, as the introduction of improved 
implements of husbandry. 
We would respectfully suggest toourAgrh 
cultural societies, generally, to give something 
more of their attention to this subject. Premi- 
ums are not so frequently offered as we should 
be pleased to see, for the" best ploughs, the best 
harrows, clover machines, hemp knives, com 
crushers, &c. In the northern States, this 
branch of improvement fias not been overlook- 
ed, but in some of the New England States, 
great emulation has been excited in the way of 
agricultural machines by the liberal premiums 
of Societies, and the patriotic energies of indi^ 
vidual agriculturists. The consequence is, a 
ver}" decided impro’-ement in all farmers’ tools, 
and none more than the plough, with which re- 
gular tests are made in ploughing matches, su- 
perintended by society 01 ganizalisns. 
D.A.IRY Secret. — Have ready two pans in boil- 
ing water, and on the milk’s coming to the dairy, 
take the hot pans out of the water, put the milk 
into one of them, and cover it with the other. — 
This will occasion great augmentation in the 
thickne.ss and quality of the cream. — Al. Cult. 
AUGUSTA MARKET. 
Tuesday p. m., March 28. 
Cotton . — The market, since our repoit of 
Tuesday last, remained in a very quiet state till 
after the arrival, on Saturday, of the news per 
the Columbia, at Boston, bringing Liverpool 
dates to the 4th instant, showing a farthei de- 
cline of Jd. in that market; since which there 
has been some more activity in our market , and 
sales have been made at J to i cent decline. — 
W e quote to 6 cents as extremes — principal 
sa,les to cents, 
Exchange.— Itt'hQxa.Xes for Exchange aie w"ith- 
out change, being at par on all points north and 
east of us. Central money 25 ® 30 cent dis- 
count. Alabama notes 20 ® 25 cent discount. 
Other depreciated notes are difficult of sale at 
any price. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
PAGE, 
Cornstalk Sugar 25 
Cure for Foundered Horse 26 
Poudrette- • ■ • 27 
Roots; Ruta Baga. 28 
Soap Suds for Manure; Improvement of In- ) qq 
dian Corn; Corn } 
Indian Corn and Old Field Pines; Value of I 
Lime; to make Good Coffee; Salt for Trees; > 30. 
Nutritive Q-ualities of Charcoal ) 
Editorials 31 
Horae Beet Seed ; Agricultural Societies; i 
Agricultural Implements; Dairy Secret; > 32 
Augusta Market ) 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR 
IS PUBLISHED BY 
J. W. & W. S. JONES, 
And will be issued every other Wednesday, at 
ONE DOLLAR a year, iNVAmiABLY in advance. 
The CASH SYSTEM will be rigidly adhered to, 
and in no case will the paper be sent unless the 
money accompanies the order. 
Advertisements pertaining to agriculture will 
be inserted for one dollar for every square of 
TWELVE lines, or less, for the first insertion, and 
seventy-five cents per square for each continu- 
ance. 
IMPOST Masters are authorized to receive and 
forward money free of postage. 
f^’-A.LL communications MUST EE POST P.UD. 
