THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
119 
WEDNESDAY, JULY 19, 1843. 
Back Numbers. — All new subscriber-s to the 
“Southern Cultivator” can be supplied with the 
back numbers. 
In connection with this paragraph, we trust 
our patrons and the friends of a Southern agri- 
cultural paper, will pardon us for again invok- 
ing their aid in extending our circulation. We 
are pioneers in this work in Georgia, and al- 
though we commenced under the most unfavor' 
able auspices, we are gratified to perceive that 
our efforts are daily exciting increased interest 
on this vitally important subject, and we feel 
grateful to our numerous friends for the counte- 
nance and support they have extended. Much 
however as they have done, there remains much 
more to be done, and we therefore invoke the 
aid of our friends in still further extending our 
circulation. Let them make an earnest and 
zealous effort to have it read by every planter — 
in short, let every subscriber take it upon him- 
self to get one other subscriber, and he another, 
and both the good which we desire to accom- 
plish will be attained, while we shall be abun- 
dantly rewarded for our efibrts in this important 
enterprise. We therefore ask every man who 
reads this paragraph, to make an earnest effort 
to get us one subscriber, and as many more as 
he pleases. 
TO READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS. 
Mr. Cunningham’s Proposition. — To such 
as desire to embark in agricultural experiments 
for the improvement of our soils and the system 
now generally adopted by our planters, the pro- 
position submitted by Mr. Cunningham in his 
letter, which will be found on our first page, af- 
fords a fine opportunity. We sincerely hope he 
may find such a purchaser as he desires, and 
that the future numbers of this paper may be 
enriched with the result of their experiments, 
and the country consequently benefited. It is, 
indeed, a laudable enterprise, and if the same 
spirit could be infused into many of our planters 
who live neighbors, much good would be ac- 
complished, both to the cause of agriculture 
and the general prosperity of the country. Let 
our planters therefore look to this matter, and 
let a spirit be generally excited among them, 
either by means of Agricultural Societies, or by 
a rivalry between immediate neighbors, and the 
good effects will be apparent at a very early 
day. 
Smut in Wheat — Bommer’s System. — We 
acknowledge, with much pleasure, the commu- 
nication of “H.” of Athens, which will be 
found in this number, on these tw’o, to the plan- 
ter, most important and interesting subjects, and 
we commend it to their consideration. The ex- 
periment with the wheat is certainly very satis- 
factory, and would seem to be almost concl usive; 
certainly so for this season in that particular lo- 
cation, however it might be operated on in other 
locations in other seasons. It is an experiment 
however easily made, and should engage, as we 
hope it will, the attention of every planter in 
the country. 
We commend also to the reader’s attention 
(■he remarks of “H.” on the subject of Bommer’s 
method of making manure, containing as it 
does a most important piece of information to 
all who may desire to test the value of this sys- 
tem, which is now exciting so much and such 
general interest. 
We are wholy unable to answer the enquiry 
of “H.” as to his Berkshire sow. May she not 
be too fatl 
Sugar Boiler. — Mr. A. Greene has kindly 
furnished us with a communication giving a 
plan for a cheap boiler, which he has te.5ted, and 
to which we take pleasure in calling the read- 
er’s attention. If they should not desire to use 
it in experiments for boiling corn stalks, it will 
be found, as Mr. G. truly remarks, to answer 
many valuable purposes on a farm. 
The communications of Mr. Farrar, and 
“A Lover of Good Ham,” are well wmrthy of 
consideration, and if any of our readers can an- 
swer the enquiries of Mr. F., we would thank 
them to make our paper the medium of com- 
munication, as they are subjects in which all 
planters are to a greater or less degree interested. 
Fine Wheat. — Accompanying the subjoin- 
ed note, was a specimen of as handsome wheat 
as we have ever seen grown in any part of the 
Union. We should be glad if the writer will 
furnish, for our columns, an account of the 
character of the soil, its preparation, time of 
sowing, reaping, and, last though not least, the 
yield — all which will doubtless be highly inter- 
esting to our readers. 
Green County, July 8, 18-43. 
Messrs. Jones — Having an opportunity, I 
forward you a sample of wheal which is of my 
own culture, and I think you will readily admit 
it to be a fine grain, and if any wheat is worth 
fifty cents a head this is the kind. The wheat 
crop, which is valuable, has been unusually 
productive the present year, and though I sowed 
but one gallon lacking a pint, I am willing to 
show it against any other wheat (of this State,) 
either in quantity or quality. 
In haste, yours, &c. 
A Planter. 
AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY FORMED. 
We notice with much pleasure from the Ma- 
dison Miscellany, that an Agricultural Society 
has been formed in Morgan county — a sign 
which we hail with much pleasure, as the dawn 
of a new era in the prosperity of Morgan coun- 
ty. There is no county in the State where 
the benefits of an improved system of agricul- 
ture will be more quickly perceived, or more 
lasting in its effects, than Morgan. 
Scraped horse radish made into a syrup, is 
said to be an excellent remedy for hoarseness. 
UTILITY OF LOCUSTS, CROWS AND BLACK- 
BIRDS. 
The appearance of Locusts in many parts of 
the Middle States this season, in great numbersj 
has elicited the following communication frc m 
Gideon B. Smith, which v.m clip from the Bal- 
timore Patriot. 
“Mr. Editor — You have, no doubt, as well 
as many of your readers, heard much of the in- 
jury done by locusts wherever they have ap- 
peared. Some have even attributed to them 
the death of human beings, (all romance, by the 
bye, as they have no means by which they can 
cause death or any personal injury to human 
beings;) others say they kill the trees and shrub- 
bery, &c., but I have not seen one item of 
credit for the good they do; and that the account 
may be fairly stated, that a just balance may be 
struck, permit me to give you the other side of 
the ledger;— 1st. The locust sa^es the farmer a 
vast amount of corn, &c. as food for pig and 
poultry — for, during the locust season, no pig in 
pasture, or turkey or chicken will touch corn, 
or any other food than the delicious locust. 2d. 
During the locust season, the crow and the black 
bird wil not pull up the corn. It may not be 
known to your readers, but it is a fact, that 
these birds only pull up the corn for the purpose 
of getting at the grub worm, who would have 
cut it (ihe corn) at any rate, even though the 
crow or black bird had not touched it. Well, 
the crow and black bird being supplied with 
abundance of the papa or grub of the locust, 
as they emerge from the ground, will not touch 
the corn. True, the grub worm is left to per- 
form his avocation, and as the crow and black 
bird have not lessened their numbers this year, 
the farmers will have to look out next year for 
terrible havoc from this enemy of corn, wher- 
ever the locust have appeared this year. These 
facts ought to prevent farmers from destroying 
crows and black birds. They only seek the 
grub or cut worm, and if they do pull up a few 
blades of com, they do it only to get at the worm 
which would have cut them down at all events.” 
CULTIVATE SMALL FARMS. 
The Wilmington (N. C.) Chronicle has the 
following very sensible remarks on this subject, 
which we commend to the attention of our 
planters. 
There has lately been considerable emigra- 
tion from New York to Virginia, mostly of ag- 
riculturists, who find their account in selling 
their own well ordered fields for a high price and 
buying Virginia lands which have become cheap 
solely from bad husbandry. Many of the far- 
mers of Dutchess county. New Yorir, have sold 
their farms for one hundred d®llars per acre, 
and purchased farms in Virginia for three or 
four dollars per acre, which they expect to make 
in a short time as valuable as the lands they 
sold. 
‘One mode,’ says the Baltimore American, 
‘by which the Northern farmers improve the 
wornout lands in Virginia is to make small 
farms. The system of large plantations in the 
Southern States has resulted in deteriorating 
whole tracts and districts of country. Bad til- 
lage is an almost inevitable consequence of 
such a system. The farmer or planter who en- 
deavors to make up for the loss of fertility in 
his lands by increasing the number of his acres, 
only extends the evil which he would escape 
from, and adds to the amount of his labor with- 
out securing a corresponding return of profit.’ 
There are truths here laid down which South- 
ern farmers do not give proper heed to. When 
will they learn to cultivate less land and culti- 
vate it welll The system now generally pur- 
sued is about as wise as would be that of a 
schoolmaster who should attempt to teach one 
hundred boys himself, or the scholar who should 
undertake to learn every thing. We believe 
our farmers begin to see the evil. The sooner 
they set about correcting it the better for them- 
selves and the country. 
