THE SOUTHERX CLTTIVATOK. 
55 
the rains and snow, and incorporate as best it 
might with the soil. Under this latter process 
the soil became gradually grasseil over, and in 
two to four years, a fine coat of native blue 
grass {poa praknsis,') and white clover, {trifolium 
repens,) affording beautiful succulent pasture, 
covereil the ground. When this gra.ss coating 
is accomplishe.l, the land is in proper condition 
for cropping, and, Avith a thorough ploughing, 
yields abundantly of all the grains and grasses 
grown in this climate. Where there is no ve- 
getable matter in the soil for the lime to act up- 
on, I conceive the lime must have drawn most 
of the fertilizing matter from the air, conden.s- 
ing the ammonia therein contained, which is 
brought to it by the snows and rains. Of course 
all that is thus procured, is so much added to 
one’s wealth by a very moderate outlay. It also 
seems to predispose the materials of the soil to 
form those associations and tendencies which 
enable it to produce vegetation when in no con- 
dition to do so before. 
In ranging ov'er the estate, we examined par- 
ticularly the land, from fields limed years ago, 
and in the fulness of their production, to those 
yet w'hite with its recent application, and just 
looking green with the Iresh verdue of the young 
grass. One fiehl contained fifty acres of the 
most beautiful wheat I ever saw, promising to 
yield full forty b'.ishels to the acre. Another, of 
seventy acres, was newly planted in Indian corn, 
and had a tine chocolate-colored soil, which had 
produced its sixty and seventy bushels per acre. 
The oat fields looked rank and fresh, and the 
grass lots for hay were, man}' of them, thus ear- 
ly, lodging with the over-growth of their bur- 
dens. Such timothy and clover, and such orch- 
ard grass meadows, are rare in that region. In 
short, by the application of lime in this manner, 
or without the aid oi stable manures, all the 
cultivated lands were teeming with fertility and 
abundance. Hundreds of acres thus limed for 
years, noAv in beautiful pa.stures, had been un- 
touched by the plough, and were grazed by herds 
of cattle, sheep and horses, rioting in its luxuri- 
ance. Eleven hundred acres had thus been lim- 
ed, and new fields were waiting for this fertiliz- 
ing stimulant, still in the process of application. 
I saw large tracts of land so sterile that no ve- 
getation grew upon it, not even grass or weeds, 
separated only by a fence from those bearing the 
richest herbage. One had been limed — the oth- 
er not. 
I had never seen a specimen of agricultural 
improvement which had pleased or interested 
me more than this; and when, in addition to this 
teeming abundance, all the appliances of rural 
luxury and independence, buildings, orchards, 
groves and delightful scenery were added, the 
picture was full of admiration. Yet all this 
beauty, fertility and abundance was created by 
the simple application of scientific principle.s, 
with the aid of moneyed capital, to this booy of 
otherw'ise inert and lifeless soil. The proprie- 
tor told me that his friends and neighbors had 
jee^d, ridiculed and blamed him for thus squan- 
dering, as they termed it, his money on such 
worthless experiments; but Ihe result has equal- 
led his warmest anticipations, and he has now 
the solid plea.sure jf looking at an estate, which 
when he took possession of it, was absolutely 
worthless in its income, and not saleable at Sn 
the acre, now worth eighty or a hundred. In 
addition to this improvement of the soil, ten or 
a dozen rniles of durable and substantial post- 
and-rail fences of chesnut and cedar hav'e been 
built, separating the farm into large and con- 
venient fields, with commodious lanes and en- 
trances leading from the mansion house and 
farm-buildings. Ample hay and grain bams 
are erected in many of the enclosures, for .secur- 
ing the crops and feeding the stock; and alto- 
gether this may be termed a pattern farm of the 
highest order. 
The question may naturally enough here be 
asked, how should this remarkable improvement 
occur in this country, and by one who was not 
bred a practical farmerl The answer is a sim- 
ple and easy one: by the application of the right 
principles to agricultural improvement. This 
gentleman pos.sessed education, enlarged and in- 
telligent views of agricultural improvement, had 
travelled extensively abroad, and j)rolited by his 
foreign observations; and after reluming to his 
native State, insteail of slothfully sitting down 
in idleness and inglorious ease, at once applied 
himself to the improvement of his property, and 
in giving an example to his fellow citizens of 
incalculable value. And yet millions of acres 
in that fine region, now yielding littl« or no in- 
come, might, by a very moderate outlay of capi- 
tal, be made equally productive. But more of 
this hereafter. 
CURE FOR riI.ES .\ND C.VT.^.UACT. 
Mr. John' J. McCacghan, of Mississippi, 
has communicated to the American Farmer, the 
following remedies for Piles and Cataract. — 
The first wc have heard recommended on .seve- 
ral occasions before, as being a very efficacious 
remedy; but we apprehend that Mr. McG. has 
misapprehended the disease generally designat- 
ed cataract of the eye or confounded it with 
some other, and we therefore infer that his re- 
medy applies only to those diseases of the eye 
where some excrescence has grown on the out- 
side of the eye ball. 
Cure p’or the Piles. — Cariy'ing the com- 
mon buck-eye in the pantaloons’ pocket, will 
cure the piles or any other inflammation about 
the anus. I cannot give a reason for it, but it 
is nevertheless certain — try it. 
Cure for the C.vtaract i.v the Eye. — The 
root of the w'eed commonly called the devil's 
shoestring, soaked in water and used as a wash, 
will cut the film (called cataract) off the eyes of 
man or beast, more effectually than the sur- 
geon’s knife, without pain, risk or apprehen- 
sion.” 
COTTON SEED FOR COWS. 
The following experiment of giving boiled 
cotton seed to cows, was communicated to the 
American Agriculturist, in Februarj' last, by 
Mr. Thom.is Afflick, of Mississippi. We 
hope it will not be forgotten by our planters, who 
can so readily test its value. 
CoTTo.N' Seed for Cows. — I am now feeding 
to my cows, boiled cotton seed, with a little chop- 
ped com added. It gives the butter a rich fla- 
vor and fine yellow color, and I may safely say, 
doubles the quantity. The cotton .seed must he 
weU-cooked though, Avhich a few minutes boiling 
will do. 
COOD ADVICE. 
The following extract from an address deliv- 
ered before an Agricultural Society in Mar}'- 
land, will apply with much force to the meridi- 
an of Georgia, where, for a series of years, so 
much time and money have been consumed by 
the indulgence of luxurious liabits, bringingin 
their train neither that happiness, ease or quiet, 
in the punsuit of which all are so eager. 
“Fellow famiers, let us then, in these times of 
pressure and pecuniary embarrassment, get rid 
of ever}' species of property which is not profit- 
able; get rid of our luxurious habits; abandon 
the fashionable follies of the day; lay off all un- 
neces-sary expenses, and return to the plain, un- 
sophisticated customs of our forefathers. Let 
industry and economy be vour watchword, and 
let it be practically seen and felt in your house- 
hold. Work less land, and lake better care of 
what you make. Make an annual investment 
in the improvement of our farms. Lei us give 
up the fashion of .selling nothing that we can 
consume, but rather let us waste or prodigallv 
consume nothing we can sell. By .such radical 
changes in our course of life, and in our .system 
of farming, that peace and plcntv, that content- 
ment and comfort, that case and happines® 
which is our birth-right as tillers of the soil, 
will again revisit our homes, and the bright .sun 
of pro.sperily will again shine over old Mary- 
land in all its wonted effulgence, and light up 
with happy smiles the countenances oi lier inde- 
pendent sons and her beauteous daughters.” 
\V.A.TER MELONS AND CANTEI.OPES. 
In the Farmers’ Register, wc find the follow- 
ing memoranda for the cultivation of these de- 
licious melons, by a gentleman who, in ihe Ilk; 
degree of north latitude, Irequcntly rai.ses mel- 
ons to weigh from 30 to 40 lbs. each. Although 
in our climate the water melon often attains a 
much greater weight, with much le.ss care and 
attention, Ave doubt not if the experiment t-e 
made upon the plan suggested by the Avriter, 
they Avould gtoAv much larger than niAv. Th» 
system of pinning adopted by this writer, i; 
practised at all by those wluo cultivate in this 
climate, is only to a very limited extent, cenain- 
ly contributes much to the enlarged size of the 
melons, and we cannot perceive hoAv it shoulil 
impair the llaAmr. We hope, as it is not yet 
too late in the .season, some of our friends avRI 
make the experiment Aviih a Icav hills, and give 
us the result, comparing its benefits Avith the 
culture noAv generally pracli.sed. 
Holes. 2 feet diameter, 20 inches deep, filled 
ene foot Avith garden rubbish and unrotted ma- 
nures, beat doAvn hard, and watered (tAvo or three 
buckets full.) then filled to the top Avith rich .soil; 
on this .spread an inch of fine compost or Avell- 
rotted manure, compact, but not hard. Sticl 
the seeds, (.say twenty or thirty to a hill,) the up- 
per end of the seed to be a little beloAv the sur- 
faceof the compost; brush over the hill Aviih 
the hand, so as to fill the holes made by the fin- 
gers; then cover the hill with an inch of clear 
sand, often Avatered. In Alabama, I should 
think, grass turf, (the gra.«s side down,) Avould 
be a good filling for the 12 inches. 
Hills, 10 feet apart, 2, 3, and at most 1 piano 
only to remain in a hill, and standing apart irom 
each other ; thinned by the time the plants have 
six leaA'es. 
It the season be dry, dig doAvn by the side oi 
the hills nearly as deep as the bottom of the 
holes, and put in a bucket or two of water, fill- 
ing the hole after the wafer is absorbed ; as soon 
as the yelloAvbugis gone, take away the .sand 
and supply its place with soil. This is all that 
can be done in the hill. 
When the plant has six leaves, takeoff the 
centre shoot Avith the point of a sharp pen-knife, 
and Avhen the lateral shoots are six inches long, 
take off all but three: Avheii these begin to fall 
to the ground, secure them down with cros.s 
sticks, and as they adA'ance, spade up the ground 
foot deep in advance of the vines. 
Once in every three or four feet put a shot ek 
lul of .soil on a leaf joint of the vine, (not coA'er- 
ing up the leaf.) and press it down gently with 
the foot on both sides of the leaf; il thi.s is kept 
moist it will take root. I'he ends of the vines to 
be kept on the ground by cross stick.s. 
Let the vines spread from the hills .so as ic 
cover the whole ground. 
11 the side branches of the main vines arc in- 
clined to head up, and not to keep to the grount^, 
take them off', .-ay a loot from the main vine. 
All pruning to be done in the middle of tl/^ 
dav AvhcR the sun shines. 
l,ct no melon set within four or five feet from 
the root; and then only one on a lateral branch, 
three to a plant. Let the vine run on as far a* 
it will, keeping it to the ground : permit no mel- 
on to groAv that is deformed ; pull off no ma> 
blo.s.soms. 
When the melon is nearly to its size, others 
may be permitted to set on the .same vine, and a 
