THE SOUTHEiiX CULTIVATOR. 
31 
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1844. 
THE BACK VOLUME. 
All new subscribers who m a}' desire it, can 
obtain the first volume, neatly bound in boards, 
at one dollar the volume. 
W. W. Bates, ofEuiaula, Barbor county, 
Ala., writes us thus: 
The neighborhood in which I live, have lost 
a great many hogs and cattle, during the last 
fall and the present winter, by turning them in- 
to pea fields. Peas grown upon the hammock.s, 
as well as upon the uplands, have been alike 
destructive to stock. If a remedy c-.nnot be giv- 
en, we shall have to abandon the raising of peas. 
It 5’ou or any of your readers know a remedy, 
please inform us through the Cultivator. 
The destruction of hogs and cattle, by turning 
them into fresh pea fields, is not very uncom- 
mon. The remedy, however, is very simple. 
Stock, immediately before being turned upon a 
pea field, should be watered, and at first only be 
permitted to remain in the field a few hours, 
when they should be removed to a lot, and have 
free access to water. After observing this pre- 
caution twice or three times, they may be per- 
mitted to remain in the pea field constantly, 
without danger, if they have free access to 
water. 
To ASCERTAIN THE WEIGHT OF A HoG. — Mr. 
John Farrar, ot Putnam county, furnishes us 
with the following method of ascertaining the 
weight of a hog, w’hich may be of use to those 
who have a hog too heavy to be weighed by any 
steelyards at their command. He says it is suf- 
ficiently accurate for all purposes, e.xcept in 
buying or selling the pork : — “Cut the head off 
in the usual way, about li inches behind the 
ears — weigh the head and multiply by ten, and 
the product is the weight of the hog. I have 
tried it frequently, and have found it correct to 
a fraction oftener than otherwise.” 
Mr. Editor — Believing that it will afford 
you a high degree of satisfaction to learn that 
the circulation of your paper among us, is escit- 
ing much greater interest in the subject of agri- 
cultural improv'ement than has been manifested 
heretofore, I lake pleasure in communicating 
the intelligence, and to assure you that among 
its readers a general inquiry has been excited, 
and a disposition to adopt a more enlightened 
system of management evinced. 
This augurs well for the success of your ef- 
forts, and I trust a similar spirit may be infused 
into the citizens of every county and neighbor- 
hood. We may then calculate with certainty 
that the day is not far distant when our people 
will be contented and happy, while their fields 
are teeming with the abundant harvests of an en- 
lightened system of agriculture. 
Pardon the digression, Mr. Editor, and indulge 
me in a few brief remarks to my brother plant- 
ers, on a subject which not only interests them, 
but the entire country. We are rapidly passing 
from a period ot almost unexampled dep es- 
sion to one of glowina prosperity — and it is to 
be feared, greatly feared, that we will, in the lull 
tide of succes.sfiil experiment, too soon forget 
the scenes through which we have just passed. 
“ Times are getting belter with us,’”* is a remark 
which meets oui ear almost every hour. ’Tis 
true as ’tis commonplace— every class of society 
and every branch of business attest its truth — 
property ot all kindsis rapidly advancing in val- 
ue-confidence is restored, and men are daily 
embarking in new enterprises, or seeking new 
investments fur their capital. This is no ima- 
ginary picture, and I need only mention one spe- 
cies of property in support of its truth: slaves 
are from dfi tobO per cent, higher than they were 
twelve months ago. What I desire, then, is to 
s,.eak to my brother planters in a voice of warn- 
ing — to admonish them, ere it is too late, to avoid 
tiie dangers attenda-nt upon such a state of 
prosperity. To many, such an admonition 
need nut be given: they are already forewarn- 
ed, and iherelore forearmed. But there are oth- 
ers to whom it may be beneficial — for 1 fear 
there are too many men who, like the school- 
boy, forgets his lesson of yesterday, however 
well he may seem to have understood it while 
reciting. My advice to all such is, look back, 
survey again and again the scenes of depression 
and misery and want, through which we have 
just passed, and be certain not to forget the les- 
.son which the results of a few years of prosperi- 
ty have taught us. Going in debt in prosperous 
limes, may be justly compared to a man navi- 
gating a boat on a smooth current down stream 
— it requires little effort, and all is bright while 
the water is undisturbed by a commotion of the 
elemenns, or uncheckered with shoals or rap- 
ids: he floats on, unconscious of the danger 
which is so soon to overwhelm him — and when 
once in debt, and reverse after reverse succeeds 
each other in rapid succession, and he is com- 
pelled to pay those debts y/hich have been creat- 
ed in prosperous times, by the hard earnings of 
his labor, when every thing is depressed — he 
may be justly compared to the same navigator, 
pushing his boat against a strong current in rap- 
ids among shoals: danger and ruin stare him in 
the face at every step : he has no repose, no qui- 
et — but his labor is one of increasing diligence. 
It an oar or pole give wajq the boat is driven 
back by the force of the current, and a double 
effort becomes necessary to regain his lost po- 
sition — and he escapes, if ever, worn dowm and 
exhausted with the perplexity and vexation of 
spirit. 
Mr. Edito-v, we are just emerging from the 
shoals ofadversit}'-, and our future voyage prom- 
ises a rich reward to the provident ! Let us, 
then, bew'are ! beware ! 
A Friend to Economy. 
A printed thought never dies. Nothing is so 
indestructible. The proudest works of art 
crumble to dust, but the eloquent thought lives, 
and will live down to the end of time. 
Agricultural Dibating Society. — The 
Sandersville (Ga.) Telescope says: — A highly 
commendable scheme for mutual improvement, 
has recently been adopted by some of our farm- 
ers in this neighborhood, in the shape of a De- 
bating Society — in which questions of agricul- 
tural policy, alone, are debated. It strikes us 
that no more desirable plan could be hit upon, 
than this, for the dissernmination of useful in- 
formation among practical farmers. 
THE FARMER’S LIFE. 
The following extract from the address deli- 
vered by the Hon. Mr. Saltonstall, before the 
Essex county (Mass.) Agricultural Society, 
descriptive of agricultural pursuits, will be ap- 
preciated by every virtuous mind. 
Agricultural pursuits in tlie open air, in the 
pure breath of heaven, and amidst the works 
which God has made, have the most puriiying 
and elevating influence on the heart and mind. 
Who that has a heart in his bosom, caii look 
abroad on our hills, crowned with trees, our 
pastures covered with flocks, on our vaih)s and 
plains, laden with “ioodforman and bea-si,’” and 
not think and feel, how good God is'] Who 
can behold the meadows oinamented witli flow- 
ers, and reflect that the widespread praities, the 
solitary wilderness, nay, that the whole earth 
is strewn with an infinite variety of those most 
lovely objects, arrayed wiib more beauty than 
was cJolomon in all his glory, and his heart not 
be softened into a sense ol that boundless love, 
which has made such provision for our enjo}’- 
ment, and for the gratification of a j ure ano re- 
fined taste] Who can see the sun rising in his 
glory, as all good fanners are wont to do, or 
can behold him sinking in his gorgeous javil- 
ion — who can look upon the magnificent iiea- 
ven.s, which can only be seen in the country, 
and not feel awed into reverence before Him 
w’ho made all, and exclaim as did the shepherd 
of Israel — “When I con.sider the heav'ens, the 
work of thy hand, the mcon and stars which 
thou hast ordained, what is man, that thou art 
mindful of him, or the son of man that thou 
visitest him ]” Who can listen to the “ charm 
of earliest birds” as they dart from their nest 
and mount to the topmost sprays at dawn, and 
not join their notes of grateful praise to him 
who notices the sparrow’s fall, and ivhose pro- 
vidential care extends to all his works] And 
w’here shall we learn our dependence on divine 
providence so effectually, as in an occupation 
where his visible presence seems manifest, in 
his imparting the influences of the sun and o 
showers in such succession as to crown with, 
success the labors of our hands — who withholds 
the needful blessings only so long as is necessa- 
ry to make us feelj that “ it is God who giveth 
the increase.” 
Farmers of Essex, you cannot render a great- 
er service t > 3'-our country, than by disabusing 
the public mind of any prejudices which still 
remain as to the true character and influence o 
your pursuits. 
“ Such themes as these the rural Maro sung 
To wide imperial Rome, in the fnll height 
Of elo.guence and taste, by Greece refined. 
In ancient times, the sacred plough employed 
The Kings and awful fathers of mankind ; 
And some, with whom compared, your insect tribes 
Are but the beings of a summer’s day, 
Have held the scale of empire, ruled the storm 
Of mighty war : then with unwearied hand. 
Disdaining little delicacies, seized 
The plough, and greatly independent, lived.” 
A Piggery. — A “long-drawn aisle” extended 
from end to end ol this establishment, along the 
middle j and on either side of this aisle were suits 
of rooms for thedifferent madams and their young 
families of porkers, the troughs being on the side 
next the aisle, so that each apartment could be 
fed from the centre. The entrance to each 
apartment or pen, was by a gate opening on the 
outside. 
Southicestern Farmer, 
