THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
7 
GEN. Washington’s letter. 
We know not that we can render a more ac- 
ceptable service to our readers than we do in 
pre.senting to them, in this number, the letter cf 
Gen. W.-isiiiNGTON, which so happily illustrates 
the true character of the “Father op his Covn- 
TRY,'’ and deserves to be preserved as an endu- 
ring monument of his true greatness. 
Tlie reader will perceive that we have 
been compelled to rely, for the matter in this 
number, almost exclusively upon our exchange 
list, which is as yet very limited. We hope, 
however, in our succeeding numbers, that our 
corre.spondents will enable us to present much 
original matter, and particular!}' adapted to the j 
objects of our enterprise. 
Ploughing u.nuer Clover. — -On reading in | 
your number for the present month the inquiry 
of your corre.spondent of Selim’s Grove, Pa., 
and your answer, on ploughing under heavy 
clover, I could not re.si.st the inclination to tell 
you what I know about it. On experiencing 
the same diinculty mentioned by your corres- 
pond jnt some years since, I studied for and I 
found a remedy, viz: to the beam of Proiity’s or 
Pcuggle’s & IMourse’s plough, attach a circular 
cutter 8 inches in diameter. In land clear of 
stone, a cast-iron one is as good as any. Mine 
is l .i inches thick in the centre for 2 inches of 
the dbimeter; then f of an inch, tapering to an 
edge. In stony soil, a riug of steel is made and 
put in the mould, and the centre cast on it. The 
pin in all plough-wheels should be cast steel. — 
1 do not know but the “star cutter” I saw at your 
office would do, but think not. Near the end of 
the beam attach a hea.v}’- chain; the other end 
doubled on itself, should trail in the former fur- 
row, ..nd will bend the tojis of any green crop 
so as to cover them. I have .^een IMoore &. 
Barmby’s plough work. It does Avell, but not 
as saiootii as eitlier of those abo've mentione:!. 
I thmlr Yankee ingenuity could attach the wheel 
to tn;. . in such a mode as to do the work requir- 
ed. My plougli doe,s not clog twice in half a 
day on an average. The wheel Avalks dii’ectl}' 
thro igii three inches of the surface, cutting ail 
bafo" ‘it. James Bates. 
N maiDGEwocK, Me., Oct. 11, iS-kJ. 
[.[CuUivator. 
M TING Vinegar. — We have never found 
any ..• . fficully in making good vinegar Irom ci- 
der yhen we have di’awn it from the lees after 
the fermentation was wdiolly over, and placed it 
in a place where the temperature Avas higher 
than it is in the cellar. Left on the lees, ©r in 
a lOAv temperature, the acetous fermentation is 
rarel}'- coiuplete. If our coii'espondent AA'ill 
place his cider Avhere the temperature is from 
G-U to 80 degrees, and drarv a pailful dail}'' from 
each cask, to be returned by the bung-liole; or 
if he Avill procure from a cask of good A'inegar 
a quantity of the substance called mother of 
vinegar, and add it to a cask we think he Avill 
soon liaA'e A'inegar. There are in London ex- 
tensi^-e A'inegar factories managed in this Avay. 
The casks are placed on end, and the tops made 
lull of holes. On each is placed a bucket or 
tub, containing about half a bushel of inferior 
or Ab.laga rais.vis. A man is constant!}^ em- 
ployed in pissing around the rooms, Avhich are 
heate'! to To or 80 degrees, draAving a pailful 
from tiie bottom and pouring it upon the raisins, 
fi-om which it enters the cask. This gives the 
wine-flavor and body. If the cider is too 
weak, sugar is added. The vinegar is £rst- 
ratein a fortnight. — Cultivator. 
Cement to Mend Broken China or Glass. 
— Garlic stamped in a .stone mortar; the juice 
Avhereof, Avhen applied to the pieces to be joined 
together, is the finest and strongest cement for 
that purpose, afld will leave little ©r no mark if 
done with care. 
CULTIVATION OF CLAY LAND. 
Our principal object at the present moment, 
is to give some general directions for cultivation 
of clay lands, as they are usuall}' found in this 
coimtry, AA'hich are the results of long-continued, 
skilful pra.ctice of the best larmers. The most 
desirable improvement Avould be to alter the 
texture of this description of land, by the addi- 
tion of a quantity ©f sand and gra.vel so as to 
modify the tenacious cliaracterof the clay. This 
plan, hoAvever, like that of under-draining, is too 
expensiA'e for this country, ,except in the neigh- 
borhood of cities, Avhere land is .sufficiently A'al- 
uable to ju.stify theco.st; and iraproA'ement in 
this AA'ay must be confi ned to such lands, or small 
patches elseAidiere, Avhere sand is coni'enient for 
the purpose. 
Another mode ol improA'ement, AA'hich t ' a 
certain extent, is Avithin ei'ery farmer’s reach, 
and is one cf the legitimate objects of CA'erygood 
farmer’s .sy.slem, is to add large quantities of 
coarse, unfermented manure, and all his unde- 
ca3'ed A'egetables; AAdiicli may be done on a 
large scale, Ij}' turning in matured crops produ- 
ced upon the land. I’here is no danger of put- 
ting on too much manure of this kind, if buried 
sufficiently deep, in proportion to the quantit}' 
used. And there is as little danger of suffering 
any loss of the manure. ‘ It Avilllast till exhaus- 
ted by the groAA tli of A'egetatien. ZTor Avill it 
burn the land, according to the common phrase, 
as an 8xce.'=s of manure does on liglit and sandy 
soils. It is not c.arricd aAA'a'y by rains, or evap- 
orated liy heat, but like coin, seciu'ely hoarded 
in a strong bo.x, it is .vaiely retained till the oaa'- 
ner’s key is applied to unlock it. The mechan- 
ical, as AA'ell as chemical character of this soil, 
particularly adapts it to thepreserA'ation ofma- 
nures ; for in addition to its strong chemical af- 
fmitA' for ammonia, Avhich is the fertilizing prin- 
ciple in all soils, its mecdranical structnre ena- 
bles it to hold, be 3 'ond the possibility of e:3cape, 
all the animal and vegetable sub.stances buried 
beneath it. 
After doing Avliatev'er can be ciTbcted adA'an- 
tageo'\:<ly tOAvards altering its character by un- 
der-daaining, the next process is to put the sur- 
face into tlie right .shape. This .should alA\'a 3 's 
ha\'e some descent, sufficient to enable the Avater 
to pass off freel y. When tlic natural surface 
has not declivity enough to effect the object, the 
land must be throA\-n into beds of 10 to 20 feet 
Avide, AA'ith a deep, double furrow' bet\A'een each 
to conduct off the Avater, AA'liich falls ifom the 
more ele'vated surface; and the AA'ater accumu- 
lated in these furroAA's should be led aAA'ay 
through some natural ravine or artificial ditch. 
For all grain crops to be soAvn in the spring, 
the land shtmld be ploughed the preceding lall. 
The folloAving springthe grain may be sowm di- 
rectly upon the surface, and harrowed in and 
rolled, w'iihout allowing the plough to touch it. 
By this operation Ave haA'e the bed in Avhich the 
grain is to nestle, and from which it is to draw' 
its future support, morefinel}' divided by the 
elements, and the action of frost through the 
Avinter, than can be done b}' an}' instrument Avhat- 
eA'er, and no alteration of this handiAVork of na- 
ture can be made out for the AA'orse. 
If corn or roots are required, the land should 
be half ploughed the previous fall ; that is, a 
.space should be left unmolested, oftlew'idth of 
a IiflTOAv, on v.'hich the upturned furroAv is 
thrown. Ba' this operation a large dig' surface 
is exposed to the salutary effects of air and mois- 
ture, fceat and fro.st ; and it w’ill be in the best 
po.ssible condition for early tillage, and abun- 
dant crops. . It Avill be mellow, friable, and com- 
paratively dig', and by thorough cross-plough- 
ing harrowing and rolling in the spring, it will 
be well fitted for the reception ol' the seed. 
For winter AAdieat AA'e do not think them suita- 
ble, unless prepared b}' thorough under-draining, 
as the wheat is very generally winter killed, or 
throAATi out b}' the frost, or drovuied by exces- 
sive rains,before the sunge'ts sufficiently high to 
protect it. But with the best A'arieties of spring 
w'heat, it produces largely'. For the production 
of rye, it is totally unsuited; but of barley, oats, 
peas, grass and roots, Aiyhen suitably prepared, 
no soil produces better crops. Their chief A'alue 
hoAvcA'er i.s lor grass lands, and when properly 
put doAvn in meadoAv, they ought never to be 
disturbed, as Avith good management, they Avill 
be in a constantly improA'ing state, and afibrd 
the most profitable and remunerating returns. 
But while in this condition, no animals should 
ever be suffered to graze them, and especially 
while the ground is soft. Poaching is destruc- 
tion to them, and no scarcity cl other food will 
justif}' the farmer in driA'ing his cattle upon his 
meadoAA's while saturated with AA'ater. It is a 
common opinion by those unaccustomed to 
them that clay' lands AA'ill not produce good clo- 
A'er; yet Ave have neA'er seen better cloA'er, or 
larger crops, than aa'c haA'e repeatedly raised on 
them. 
When required for roots, corn, or other hoed 
crops, the soil should be well charged Aviih ma- 
nure, and the most thorough tillage will be am- 
ply repaid. “A little land w'ell tilled,” has a 
peculiar signiuca,lion AA'hen applied to this kind 
of soil, piaster, (.sulphate of lime) has no apt- 
preciable effect on it when applied in small 
quantities; and lime, (carbonate of lime,) has 
le.ss than on any' of the lighter soils. Ashes are 
A'alnahle on any land, and, we belicA'e, under 
all circumstances ; y'et Ave have repeatedly' made 
the application of them on a A'ery stiff clay, 
Avithout deriving any immediate perceptible 
benefit. A longer time is required under cer- 
tain circumstances, ibr them and other manures 
to act, but their action continues through a much 
longer period. — A/u ''rican Agricv.Uuralist. 
A CHE.4.P Paint. — T ake one bushel of mi- 
slackedlime and slack it AA'ith cold AA'ater; AA'hen 
slacked add to it 20 pounds of Spanish Avhiting, 
17 pounds of salt, and 12 pounds sugar. Strain 
this mffiture tlirough a Avire seive, and it will be 
fit for use after reduciBg AA'ith cold Avater. This 
is intended for the outside of buildings, or 
Avhere it is cxpo.sed to the Aveather. In order to 
give a good color three coa,ts are necessary' on 
brick, and Iavo on Avood. It may be laid on 
Avith abru.sh similar to Avhilewash. Each coat 
must have sufficient time to dry before the next 
is applied. 
For painting inside AA'alls, take as before, one 
bushel unslacked lime, 3 pounds of sugar, 5 
pounds salt, and prepare as aboA'e, and apply' 
with a brush. 
I haA'e used it on brick, and find it aa'cII calcu- 
lated to preserA'e them — it is far preferable to oil 
paint. I haA'e also used it on Avood, and assure 
y'ou that it AV'ill last longer on rough siding than 
oil paint w'ill on planed siding or hoards. 
Yon can make any color you please. If you 
AA'ish a straAv color, use yelloAv ochre instead of 
AA'hiting; for lemon color, ochre and chrome 
y'ello'w;' for lead and slate color, lampblack; for 
blue, indigo; for green, clu’ome green. These 
different kinds of paint Avill not cost than 
one-fourth as much as oil paints, including la- 
bor of putting on. 
[Ontario Freeman. 
Bees. — T he best place to put bbesin is adiy, 
cold and dark room or outhouse, if it can be ob- 
tained. The colder the Avinter the better, if the 
air is dry'. Damp cold gh'es bees the rot. Put 
A'our bees there the last w'eek in NoA'ember, and 
let them sleep quietly till the flowers begin to 
come out in the spring. In SAvitzerland a, 
AA'hole village clubs together, and hires a cold 
dry' room w'hich they darken and put all their 
bees in. 
We find the aboA'e in an exchange paper, 
and think the system recommended at 'least 
plausible. So long as bees remain torpid they 
do not eat; and to keep them in this state, the 
temperature of the place w'here they' are kept 
must be Ioaa'; it must also be diy. or the mass of 
bees and comb Avill become mouldy'. Bees die 
in multitudes by being enticed out of their 
hiA'es in sunny day's, before they' are able to ob- 
tain food, or get back to their hh'es. 
[Albany Cultivator. 
