138 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
when they had abundance of farm-yard manure 
to preserve the fertility of soil, without resort- 
ing to the application of lime, nitrate of soda, 
and other mineral or artificial manures. Still 
it is by no means extraordinary that farmers of 
the present day, should be opposed to the appli- 
cation of scientific rules; or if not opposed to 
their application, at least careless in applying 
them; for, as they justly observe, farming has 
been conducted without science, and the}'- can- 
not yet perceive the very different position in 
which they are placed, compared with farmers 
even of the last generation. The human mind 
is so subject to the unhealthy influence of pre- 
j udice, that it is no wonder farmers of the pre- 
sent day should be disposed to follow with al- 
most invincible determination, the customs of 
past ages; yet, however natural it may be that 
they should thus act, it mu.st be a source of sin- 
cere regret to the enlightened, unprejudiced 
mind, that they should thus be heaping up trou- 
ble for a future day . — London Fanners' Mag. 
SOMMER’S MANURE. 
Mr. Editor — The following communication 
I am sure will be read with interest by most of 
your sub.scribers, and as I have received recent- 
ly so many intereogatories concerning “Bon;- 
mer’s Manure,” I have concluded to send it for 
publication in the Planter, with such remarks 
as I may make upon it: 
King William, July 6, 1843. 
Mr. Woodfin — Dear Sir — I have seen the 
result of your experiment with Bommer’a pa- 
tent manure, in the last Planter, and while 1 
believe every word you have said about, I am 
not entirely satisfied that it will be to the inter- 
est of every one to purchase the right to make 
and use it. Virginians have been so often 
humbugged with patent inventions, that 1 am 
very slow to receive any notion that comes se- 
creted under a patent right, I will, therefore, be 
obliged to you to answer the following ques- 
tions; 
1st. Can the materials of wdiich the manure 
is composed, and also those required to produce 
such speedy decomposition, be procured in suffi- 
cient quantities on 'poor forest farm to make it 
an object on such a farm; or is it only adapted 
to the neighborhood of towms, where mineral, 
animal and other substances can be readily pro- 
cured at little cost! 
2- From the experiment you have made, do 
you think that labor may be profitably employed 
in making this manure on large farms, or is it 
merely intended for experimenters on truck 
patches, gardens, dtc.? 
3d. As the decomposition is so rapidly pro- 
duced, does not the ammonia (or Avhatever you 
chemists call it, 1 mean the strength of the ma- 
nure,) as speedily pass off, and the manure be- 
come comparatively worthless, as you have 
seen farm-yard manure become by being kept 
too longl 
4th. You say it is not costly, but troublesome; 
how much and what kind of trouble is it? Is it 
that kind of trouble with which every success- 
ful farmer is acquainted, and for which he gets 
rewarded, more or less, or is it like the Indian’s 
gun, costs more than it comes to? 
5th. Taking every thing connected with it into 
consideration, would you advise a farmer own- 
ing some five or six hundred acres of poor land, 
situated twelve miles from navigation, and 30 
miles from any town, employing the labor of 
tw’elve hands, and with a large and growing 
family, and not a cent to spend in humbugs or 
costly experiments, to purchase the right to 
make and use this manure? 
You will please pardon the liberty I have ta- 
ken in addressing this communication to you; 
my only apology is my great desire to use all 
the means in my power, for the improvement of 
our mother earth, and I should like to become 
acquainted with this process of Mr. Bommer’s, 
but do not like the idea of buying a pig in a 
bag. 
Should you think it worth while to reply to 
this, you can do it through the Planter, if you 
prefer it, (as I suppose it probable you will re- 
ceive other communications on this subject,) or 
by letter privately, by mail, as you may choose. 
Yours, most respectfully, 
Wm. S. Ryland. 
In answering the foregoing queries, I shall 
take them up in the order they are propounded, 
without any farther preliminary remark. 
1st. “Can the materials of which the manure 
is composed, and also those required to produce 
such speedy decomposition, be procured in suffi- 
cient quantities on a poor forest farm?" &c. &c. 
I answer yes — they can be procured in abun- 
dance, both for making the manure, and also 
for their speedy decomposition, with the excep- 
tion of some articles necessary to make the 
lees.* The method is not adapted to the neigh- 
borhood of towns, except where large quanti- 
ties of vegetable substances can be had. 
2d. “From the experiment you have made, 
do you think that labor may be profitably em- 
ployed in making this manure on large farms?” 
&c. Answer, I do. It is equally well adapted 
“to truck patches, gardens, &c.” if they have 
an abundance of vegetable substances, not oth- 
erwise. 
3. “As the decomposition is so speedily pro- 
duced, does not the ammonia (or whatever you 
chemists call it, I mean the strength of the ma- 
nure,) as speedily pass off?” &c. To this ques- 
tion 1 answer, in consequence of the great heat 
produced in the process of fermentation, it is 
quite probable that a portion of the ammonia 
may escape. Ammonia, however, has great 
affinity for water, and as a quantity of water is 
necessary in making the manure, I should think 
the escape of ammonia would not be very great. 
Mr. Bommer says “the salts produced in the 
process of fermentation, ‘are a quantity of ni- 
trate of lime and caustic potash, ammonia and 
saltpetre’ — four substances which modern chem- 
istry has found to contain the most fecundating 
properties possible.” 
4th. “You say it is not costly, but troublesome; 
how much and what kind of trouble is it?” &c. 
I alluded to the trouble of collecting the materi- 
als, making the compost heaps, making the 
“lees,” and the several applications and water- 
ings with the same, necessary to complete the 
decomposition of the materials. The labor 
thus expended I am sure would result in a rich 
reward to a skilful and persevering farmer. 1 
must most respectfully ask to be excused from 
answering the 5th question. I will not advise 
any one to buy the right, lest for want of proper 
energy and skill on the part of the purchaser, it 
might fail to answer his purpose, and 1 should 
have the blame; I will, however, say this much, 
that from what I have heard of Mr. Ryland’s 
zeal and energy in doing what he can to improve 
our “mother earth,” that Bommer’s patent could 
hardly fail of success in such hands. W ith him 
it would neither be like the “Indian’s gun,” nor 
the “pig in the bag.” 
In conclusion, let me remark, that I am no 
way interested in the sale of these patents — I 
own only an individual right, and should there 
not be another sold in the State it would be a 
matter of perfect indifference to me. 
Very truly, yours. 
Geo. Woodpin. 
Southern Planter. 
'The articles alluded to in the exception, which Mr. 
Woodfin did not consider himself at liberty to specify, 
are lime and salt; about fifty pounds of the former and 
a couple of pounds of the latter being required to an 
ordinary heap of the manure. — E d. S. P. 
Let every one cultivate flowers. They re- 
quite little space, they furnish a tasteful and 
healthful employment, and contribute much to 
the happiness which forms the grand object of 
pursuit with all . — Albany Cult. 
A princely mind will ruin a private fortune — 
keep the rank in which Providence hath placed 
you; and do not make yourself unhappy, be- 
cause you cannot afford whatever a wild fancy 
might suggest. 
Millwood, August 3, 1843. 
Mr. Editor — You'desire information as to the 
comparative merits of the Durham, Devon and 
Ayrshire cattle. Having tried all, I will give 
you the result of my experience, together with 
a brief history of the origin and the improve- 
ments of these celebiated cattle. 
Until lately, there existed in England a great 
difference of opinion as to the superior breed, 
each having strenuous advocates. Since the 
ve"y great and decided improvement of the short 
horns, effected by the skill, judgment and perse- 
verance of Mr. Charles Collins, public opinion 
has awarded to this improved breed, the first 
rank, as possessing “a combination of perfec- 
tions,” hitherto attained by no other breed of cat- 
tle. The counties of Durham and York have 
long been celebrated for their short horns, of un- 
doubted foreign origin, distinguished principal- 
ly as extraordinary milkers. These cattle were 
large, coarse and deficient in the fore-quarter. 
On the banks of the river Tees, they assum- 
ed a different character. “In color, they resem- 
bled the improved short horns, being occasion- 
ally red, red and white, and roan, though the 
last named colour was not then so frequent as 
now. They possessed a fine mellow skin and 
flesh, good hair, and light offal, particularly 
wide carcasses, and fore-quarters of extraordi- 
nary depth and capacity.” 
These latter Mr. Collins selected for his ex- 
periments, and by two or three judicious crosses 
upon them, and by proper selections, after these 
crosses were obtained, he established a breed 
which, for general excellence, has never been 
equalled. 
It is much to be regretted that these experi- 
ments were conducted with as much secrecy as 
practicable, and that Mr. Collins should have 
declined, even after realizing a forture by the 
sale of his stock, to make known to the public 
the principles that guided him in producing such 
magnificent results. It is, however, known 
that his first step towards this improvement, was 
the breeding them down from a larger to a small- 
er animal, well aware that overgrown cattle are, 
almost necessarily, coarse. A single cross on 
the Polled Galloway, is supposed to have con- 
tributed most essentially to his success, asffjm 
it, in the fourth generation. Lady was produced, 
a cow occupying in the Herd Book as high a 
place as old Prunella in the Stud Book. The 
great object of Mr. Collins was, the production 
of a breed as nearly perfect in formation as pos- 
sible, of early maturity, with a capacity to con- 
tinue growing, and of great aptitude to fatten, 
without sacrificing their properties for the dairy. 
That he attained these objects is manifest, from 
the extraordinary prices he obtained for his 
stock, (having sold Comet, at 6 years old, for 
$5000,) and the avidity with which they were 
purchased, not only at home but abroad, and 
their rapid introduction into almost every por- 
tion of the civilized globe. Possessing the rare 
combination of qualities, hitherto considered 
incompatible, a great disposition to fatten, with 
high qualifications for the dairy, together with a 
carcass almost faultless, and of beautiful colors, 
these cattle could hardly fail attracting the at- 
tention of breeders. The Americans perhaps, 
of all foreign purchasers, have been the most li- 
beral. Extensive importations have been made 
into the Northern, Middle and Western States, 
and a few of these cattle have been introduced 
into South Carolina. On the luxuriant pastures 
of Kentucky, they are in a state of progressive 
improvement. In the Northern and Middle 
States, they continue to maintain all their char- 
acteristic excellence. And in our State, with 
proper care of them, they exhibit, as yet, no de- 
generacy. They are large consumers of food, 
compared with our native stock, and require rich 
pasturage to keep them in high condition, but no 
breed of cattle will make greater returns, for 
extra care bestowed on them. Our dry and arid 
Sand Hills are tmsuited to them, but any good 
cotton estate will support a few, enough for all 
the ordinary ■ purposes of the plantation. Like 
all other cattle, they rapidly decline if turned 
