THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
141 
Dr. Braxton, in an address before the Ag- 
ricultural Society of King William, county, 
Virginia, says: 
That in all judicious systems of husbandry, 
the first step should be to establish a good rota- 
tion of crops. Different soils and different sit- 
uations, of course, require very different rota- 
tions. He wonld, however, lay it down as “a 
safe rule, that no land ought to be put in grain 
cultivation more than half its time, that is, more 
than one grain crop should not be taken from 
land in two years, or two in tour, or three in six 
years; and wheat should never follow corn; 
corn follows wheat very well, and oats succeed 
corn pretty well. But I would say, let clover 
follow corn without any grain crop whatever, 
as I believe the notion that it was necessary to 
have small grain to shade the 3 oung clover, is 
now pretty well exploded; as eyery observant 
farmer must have noticed, that wherever the fly 
had destroyed his wheat, the clover was much 
better than where it had been shaded and pro- 
tected, as they call it, by a luxuriant growth of 
wheat; and that when the wheat was very luxu- 
riant, the clover was generally killed.” He 
speaks highly of the increased attention paid to 
the cultivation of artificial grasses, and particu- 
larly to that king of the tribe, red clover; of 
which he thinks there is now sown in King 
William county, a bushel of seed for every 
ounce that was sown but ten years ago! But 
still he notes it as among their faults, to have 
too great a surface in grain, and too little in 
grass. “All agricultural histories,” sa 5 "s the 
Doctor, “both ancient and modern, prove that in 
proportion as that branch of husbandry has been 
attended to, that district of country has improv- 
ed, and the proprietors have become indepen- 
dent, prosperous and happy.” On the subject of 
manures too, he believes they are greatly defi- 
cient; they do not make as much as they ought, 
and might; and what they do make, they do not 
use to the best advantage. His “oum experi- 
ence goes directly in favor of top-dressing ihe 
year previous to the field coming in cultivation. 
But as a most judicious farmer says, put it on 
in any and every way you can, it will all do 
good.” 
The Doctor sets red clover down as the most 
valuable of all grasses. One good coat of that 
“I think is fully equal, if not superior, to any 
dressing of putrescent manure we can give our 
lands.” He exhorts his brother farmers to meet 
every returning season with an increased ener- 
gy and zeal in the good cause; and reminds 
them of the good old proverb, that “he who 
withholdeth not his hand from the plough, shall 
not want bread.” He holds up the cheering 
hope, that by patient and persevering industry, 
and labor judiciousl}’- directed, we shall experi- 
ence the best results— “certainly the doubling 
and tripling of the productiveness of our farms.” 
Orchards.— All orchards not in culture 
should have the hogs turned into them to eat the 
falling fruit. In doing so thousands and tens of 
thousands of the insectiferous enemies of the 
apple will be destroyed in their embrlo state. — 
The trunks of the trees should also be rubbed 
thoroughly with a hard brush and then painted 
with a mixture of soft soap and flour of sul- 
phur, in the proportion of five gallons of the 
former to one of the latter, and to make assu- 
rance doubly sure, lime (unslacked best) should 
be strewn pretty freely under the trees, not for- 
getting to sow with a heavy hand immediately 
around the trunks. 
We often hear complaints made by farmers 
of the decay and death of their fruit trees, and 
to our mind the reason is obvious enougK It is 
neglect. Fruit trees, like animal and human 
bodies, have their enemies and diseases to con- 
tend against, and as they cannot doctor them- 
selves, require that their wants should be sup- 
plied by their owners. If the treatment we re- 
commend were resorted to twice or thrice a 
year, and orchards were not burthened with 
grasses or small grain, but subjected to row cul- 
ture of some kind, we entertain not the slightest 
doubt but that even trees which are now enjoy- 
ing a mere breathing existence, might be resus- 
citated into vigorous health, provided care were 
taken in judiciously pruning the decayed limbs 
and applying a proper composition to the wounds 
thus made . — AmencoM Farmer. 
How TO MAKE AN UnPRODCCTIVE FrUIT TrEE 
Bear. — A lady of our acquaintance took us 
into her garden a few days ago, where we were 
shown an apple tree which, she informed us, 
had been planted for ten or more years, but had 
never before borne any fruit. In looking ovmr 
an old volume, she accidentally met with what 
purported to be a remedy for this unproductive- 
ness, which was simply to cut from each limb, 
close to where it diverges from the trunk, a 
piece of bark about four inches round the limb, 
and one inch in width, and immediately replace 
it by tying it on with a rag until it adhered again. 
Early in the spring she tried the experiment 
upon the tree we speak of, leaving however two 
or three of the limbs untouched. The result is, 
that it is now filled with apples, which bid fair 
to ripen finely; but it is worthy of remark, that 
only on those limbs which had been cut is the 
fruit to be seen. The operation is very simple; 
and, as it has proved successful in this instance, 
we have no hesitation in recommending its trial 
in similar cases . — Reading Gazette. 
Tomato Figs. — We copy ‘he following from 
the American Farmer. It will soon be a sea- 
sonable article. The experiment has been tri- 
ed in this quarter with the most satisfactory re- 
sults. Rich specimens of the fruit thus prepar- 
ed, were exhibited at the shows of the Cincin- 
nati Horticultural Society this spring. — Cin. Ga. 
Patent Office, July 10, 1841. 
Dear Sir — The medicinal qualities of To- 
matoes havm greatly increased their cultivation, 
and every new preparation of the. article is de- 
serving consideration. A sample of “Tomato 
Figs” has just been deposited at the Patent Of- 
fice, of a very superior quality. From the taste, 
I should suppose all the good qualities of the 
fruit are retained. In appearance, the drum of 
tomatoes resembles one of figs so nearly, that 
they might easily be mistaken for the same. 
The sample is deposited by Mrs. Steiger of 
this city, and the recipe transmitted with it is 
enclosed for publication. It is deeply to be re- 
gretted, that since the periodicals of the day are 
open to communications, that so many valuable 
improvements are lost to the world barely for 
the want of publicity. Others may have i’ied 
the Tomatoes with a recipe, however, less suc- 
cessful. Very re.spectfully, 
H. L. Edlsworth. 
Hon. J. S. Skinner. 
Take 6 lbs. of sugar to 1 peck [or 16 lbs.] of 
the fruit. Scald and remove the skin of the 
fruit in the usual way. Cook them over a fire, 
their own juice being sufficient without the ad- 
dition of water, until the sugar penetrates and 
they are clarified. They are then taken out, 
spread on dishes, flattened and dried in the sun. 
A small quantity of the syrup should be occa- 
sionally sprinkled over thera,'whilst drying; af- 
ter which, pack them down in boxes, treating 
each layer with powdered sugar. The syrup is 
afterwards concentrated and bottled for use. — 
They will keep well from year to year and re- 
tain surprisingly their flavor, which is nearly 
that of the best quality of fresh figs! The pear 
shaped or single tomatoes answer the purpose 
best. Ordinary brown sugar may be used, a 
large portion of which is retained in the syrup. 
Lime Water for Worms. — Take six quarts 
of water, add half a pound of caustic lime, 
and after letting it stand a few minutes, com- 
mence watering the ground infested with worms, 
and they will soon be destroyed. — Tenn. Agr. 
The whiteness of ivory handled knives may 
be restored by rubbing them with fine sand pa- 
per, or emer^^ 
MONROE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
The Annual Fair of the Monroe Agricultural 
Society will be held at Forsyth, on the second 
Wednesday in November next, when an Ad- 
dress will be delivered before the Society, after 
which the following premiums will be awarded 
by committees appointed for that purpose. 
Competitors for premiums on crops will be 
required to produce certificates from one or 
more disinterested persons, of the amount of 
produce grown per acre, and it will also be de- 
sirable that they present a detailed statement of 
their mode of culture. 
For the best acre of Corn on bottom land . . Su 00 
do do upland 5 00 
Cotton on bottom land 5 00 
do upland 5 00 
Wheat, one acre 2 50 
Sweet Potatoes, do 1 00 
Turneps, do 1 00 
The greatest quantity of cocoons, do 2 00 
Best 10 yards of silk for lady’s dress, a pair of 
Glass Pitchers. 
Pair of Silk Hose 1 00 
Gloves do 1 00 
For pound Sewing Silk 2 00 
For 10 yards of Homespun for lady’s dress, a 
Glass Pitcher. 
For 10 yards do. for gentleman’s dress, a pair 
of Glass Preserve Dishes. 
For 20 yards of Negro Cloth 1 00 
For 10 yards of Negro Blankets 1 00 
For 10 yards of Carpeting 1 00 
For 10 yards of Cotton Bagging 1 00 
For Ladj^’s Bonnet 1 00 
For Hat 1 00 
For Wool Hat 50 
For best Stallion, 4 5 mars old and upwards 10 00 
For 3 do one year’s subscription to the 
Turf Register. 
For Horse Colt 2 years old 2 00 
For Brood Mare 45 ‘ears old and upwards. .5 00 
For Filly 3 4 00 
For Filly 2 2 50 
For Spring Colt 3 00 
For Gelding 5 00 
For pair Carriage Horses 5 00 
For pair Mules 5 00 
For Jack 5 00 
For Jenny 5 00 
For Bull 3 00 
For Cow 3 00 
For yoke of Oxen 5 00 
For Ram 2 50 
For Ewe 2 50 
For Boar 5 00 
For Sow 5 00 
For Pork Hog, according to age 2 50 
For litter Pigs between 6 and 12 months. .4 00 
For 6 months and under 2 50 
Bradford T. Chapman offers a premium of a 
pair of Berkshire pigs for the best colt by Penn- 
dyer. E. G. Cab.vniss, Sec’y. 
Cockroaches. — The foil owing method of de- 
stroying these detestable intruders is simple and 
effective: Procure from the apothecary a small 
quantity ofthat odoriferous vegetable called poke 
root. Boil it in water until the juices are ex- 
tracted, and mingle the liquor with good molas- 
ses; spread the mixture in large platters or soup 
plates; place these w’herever the cockroaches 
visit, and the enemy will be found slain by fifties 
and hundreds on the following morning. A 
gentleman to whom we are indebted for this in- 
formation, states that he slaughtered 575 cock- 
roaches in one night, by the above process, and 
that the root which had been boiled being thrown 
into a closet thickly infest jd by the enemy, the 
place was quitted entirely in a few days, great 
numbers being left dead upon the field. 
Boston Gazette. 
To Destroy Bed Bugs, — Make a strong 
decoction of red pepper, when ripe, and apply it 
with a common paint brush to the joints of the 
bedsteads, wainscoting, &c., where these odious 
insects usually resort, and it is said it will soon 
destroy them. — Tenn. Agr. 
