88 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
of the rotary system will claim it as “a feather 
in their cap” — but let them look at the returns 
made some years since, published in the Amer- 
ican Farmer, I think, from a small piece plant- 
ed in wheat, which astounded all farmers around 
there— I cannot now refer to page and volume 
as I forget* — but it was owing to an ample re- 
turn made to the land of stable manure. I 
would then say to every farmer, give your land 
food, suited to its digestive organs, if you would 
expect it to feed you in return. This may be 
ea.siest done, by a change of crops, and 1 doubt 
not every judicious farmer will adopt it to a 
greater or less extent. Many will ask why ob- 
ject to rotation and yet advise iti My reason is, 
that we are told a continued succession of crops 
is ruinous, and rotation beneficial; whereas, 
theie are many who think as the old coffee drin- 
ker said of coffee — “If it is a poison, it is a very 
slow one, for I have been using it 70 years,” — 
and consequently pay no attention to what is 
their interest. I verily believe, if a field of 
good lively level land, were well cultivated, all 
the stalks arid seed ploughed in yearly four to 
six inches deep, that it would improve in quali- 
ty and yield for a century, and I appeal to the 
woodlands and fence rows and briar patches, for 
proof. We cannot imitate nature, in keeping 
ground shaded, and taking nothing off— but I be- 
lieve the culture, if properly pursued, would 
come so near it, that there would be improve- 
ment. I am an advocate for rotation, and urge 
it, for the reason assigned, not on account of 
poisonous excretions at all — which sounds to me 
very much like forcing a child to tell the truth, 
least the devil catches him, rather than inculca- 
ting into him the intrinsic merit of truth, its 
beauty, and if no other rea.son, the interest he 
has for so doing. 
The great desideratum of farming I look on it 
is to make the most out of one’s labor — and to 
do this efiectually, we should make it a primary 
object to endeavor to improve the soil, for plague 
and pestilence or disasters may sweep off the 
gain if taken from the land, but if returned to 
mother earth, she indulgently returns us twofold. 
1 would then define good farming to be, a stea- 
dy improvement of the soil, with the greatest 
yield. Nor do I by any manner of means yield 
to any man a preference of being a “best farm- 
er,” because he adds the fastest to his property, 
because he may scratch on and waste 10 to 20 
thousand dollars worth of land, to buy 10 to 20 
thousand dollars worth of properly, whereas his 
neighbor has but half or only one-third as much 
property, and has kept his land and stock, &c. 
&c. up in a condition to sell for prime cost, 
even at a moment. This has been unfortunate- 
ly the mode of judging in all our slave holding 
country, which has brought us to the necessity 
of manuring or rotation, if we would do as well 
as we have done. 
In connection with manuring or rotation, 1 
would urge the great advantage of thorough 
deep ploughing — I mean by this, that every par- 
ticle of earth be turned over as early in the year 
as is possible, from 4 to 6 inches deep; believ- 
ing from trials made for the three past years, 
that deep ploughing will, unaided, give a very 
handsome return. I did sow corn last year, on 
the same soil precisely, that yielded from five to 
seven bushels more per acre, than on land some 
Ihree to five years later in cultivation — the only 
difference was deep and thorough ploughing for 
two years — on which I wdll plant cotton this 
year, and expect a yield of 1 to 200 lbs. per acre 
more, it being old land on which some eight or 
nine crops of cotton have grown out of thirteen 
or fourteen. w. m. philips. 
Tennessee State Agriculturist. 
’Siace writing the above, I have referred to my bound 
volumes and files of American Farmer, and find the 
crops of wheat grown on the same land for “five suc- 
cessive years" was by “Adam Wharm, Esq. of Elkton, 
jVId.. On the 276th page of the present volume, the ed- 
itor remarks, there are two features about Mr. Wharm’s 
culture that go to astound us, “such heavy crops” and 
the “success” attending his using “stable manure.” I 
allude to this case in point, particularly, because there 
was a succession of the same crops, a yield that even 
for one year was very great in that country, and there 
was manuring. 
AGRICULTURAL HYMN. 
Great God of Eden! twas thy hand 
That first clad earth in bloom. 
And shed upon the smiling land 
Nature’s first rich perfume. 
Fresh at thy glance the flowers sprung, 
Kissed by the sun’s first rays — 
While plain, and hill, and valley rang 
With file, and joy, and praise. 
Gods of the clouds! thy hands can ope 
The fountains of the sky, 
And on the expectant thirsty crop : 
Pour down the rich supply. 
The farmer, when the seed time’s o’er, 
Joys in the mercies given — 
Thinks of thy promised harvest’s store, 
And smiling, looks to heaven. 
God of the sheaf! to thee alone 
Are due our thanks and praise, 
When harvest’s grateful labor’s done, 
On plenty glad we gaze. 
Then shall our thoughts on Heaven rest. 
Thy grace we will adore. 
And thank that God, whose money’s blest 
Our basket and our store. 
Selected. 
THE TIMES. 
The low prices of agricultural productions, 
and the severe pecuniary embarrassments of the 
present time, together with the slight prospect 
of improvement for the future, have caused a 
feeling of despondency among many farmers 
whfch is much to be regretted, and a little re- 
flection will show is very unwise. It is true 
that the prices of produce offer but little reward 
for labor, and the prospects for the future are by 
no means flattering; but what thenl — shall we 
settle down in gloomy despondency, and resign 
ourselves and families to inglorious poverty and 
ignorance, while Nature and Providence, and 
the wonderful discoveries of the age call upon 
us to put forth new efforts, and awaken new 
energies of the mind — to call in the light of sci- 
ence to our aid, and combine it with experience, 
skill and industry! 
When wheat was $1 50 and corn Si per 
bushel, pork and beef $5 per 100 lbs., and other 
things in proportion, the most unskilful and ne- 
gligent farmer could hardlj" fail of making pro- 
fit, and then, if ever, was the time we could best 
dispense with the aid of science and agricultu- 
ral experience. But now, with the increasing 
competition of the west, and the prospect of 
continued low prices, is the very time when every 
farmer has need to awake, and avail himself of 
all the knowledge and experience, and all the 
improvements and discoveries which the past 
has developed. In short, now is the time when 
the very perfection of art should be combined 
with science and sagacity, in order to ensure 
success and profit in agriculture. 
The farmer has now more than ever before, 
need to understand the nature and condition of 
his soil, and the best means of renovating and 
enriching it; the nature and operation of mine- 
ral, animal and vegetable manures, and their 
adaptation to different crops; the extent to which 
labor saving machines can be introduced into 
his business, and, in short, haw to produce the 
most and the best of every thing with the least 
possible expense and labor. 
How mistaken, then, that policy which indu- 
ces farmers to deprive themselves of the means 
of information, from motives of pretended eco- 
nomy! Thousands of farmers, the past winter, 
refused to purchase a book, or even to subscribe 
for a paper devoted to their interests, because, 
forsooth, “the times were so hard that they must 
practice economy!” Out upon such economy! 
we say. It is like self-righteousness, the more 
you have of it the worse you are off. These 
men have spent their long winter evenings and 
stormy days moping in the chimney corner and 
whining about hard times, while they ought to 
be storing their minds with science and useful 
knowledge, thereby increasing their powers and 
means of success. And now reader, if “thou 
art the man,” we beg of you to reflect on this 
subject, and .see whether you are practising wise 
economy, and if thou art not the man, carry 
this paper to your neighbor and ask him to 
consider the matter, and give you his opinion. 
New Genesee Farmer. 
Proper age for Heifers to bring Calves. 
— A Roxburg subscriber a.'^ks our opinion as to 
the age for heifers to bring their first calf. He 
suggests that we injure our stock by letting the 
heifers bear too early, and that three and a half 
or four years would be a better age than an ear- 
lier one. 
We think if the object is to raise large cattle 
the heifer should come to her full growth before 
she is admitted to the cow family. Bui if the 
great object is milk or butter — if it is desirable 
to raise the greatest quantity possible in propor- 
tion to the weight of the cow and to the food she 
consumes, the heifer should come forward early. 
She should have a calf at the age of two, or two 
and a half, if she has been well kept. Her milk 
vessels will then be large in proportion to her 
limbs. Small cows almost always give more 
milk, in proportion to size, than large ones. 
Massachusetts Ploughman. 
AUGUSTA MARKET. 
Tuesday p. m.. May 23. 
Cotton — Our market remains quite inactive. 
The transactions since the accounts have been 
very light. A few sales have been made at a 
decline of from § r@ J cent from the highest 
rate. The quantity offering is very limited, and 
although our stock is large, not more than one- 
third in store is on planters’ account, the bal- 
ance is held by our home speculators. 
Money — Exchange on all the northern cities, 
Savannah and Charleston is abundant at par. 
Central Bank notes are in good demand at from 
18 I® 20 ^ cent discount, and a large amount 
may be sold at a less rate than our lowest fig- 
ures. State 6 ^ cent Bonds are much enquired 
for. Alabama bank notes can be sold for 15 ^ 
cent discount. 
CONTENTS OF THIS NUMBER. 
PAGE. 
Curing Sweet Potatoes; Mode of stopping ) q.. 
Gullies 
Culture of Silk in Georgia; to cure Butter- • --82 
Mr. Foote’s Prize Essay, concluded 83 
Ashes on Corn 85 
The Rust; Sheep in the South; the Compost ) pe 
Heap; Cattle for the South y 
Silk Culture; Curing Sweet Potatoes; Anon- 1 
ymous Contributors; to destroy Catterpil- I n- 
lars; Salt for Cut Worms; the Rotation of ( 
Crops J 
Agricultural Hymn; the Times; Proper time 1 
for Heifers to bring Calves; Augfcta Mar- > 88 
ket ) 
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