47 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1844. 
THE BACK VOLUME. 
All new subscribers who may desire it, can 
obtain the first volume, neatly bound in boards, 
at one dollar the volume. 
§:^We must throw ourselves upon the indul- 
gence ol our readers, for the delay in the ap- 
pearance of this number. So many of our com- 
positors have been confined, during the last ten 
days, with the Measles, that it was impo.=sible, 
as we could not supply their places, to make a 
more rapid progress. The same cause may de- 
lay, for a few days, the issue of the next num- 
ber-after which, we hope to appear with our 
accustomed regularity. 
AGRICULTURAL PAPERS FOR PfSTRlBUTION. 
The following paragraph, which we find in 
^ ‘-‘American 4-gricuJiurist/’ we commend 
to the attention of Soutliern Planters^ as ryellfor 
the excellence of the example a.s for the evidence 
it bears of the zeal ol our Northern brethren in 
the cause. On reading it, we were forcibly 
struck with the contrast which it preseo,ts be- 
tween Northern and Southern Agriculturists. 
It is by no means flattering to our Southern 
brethren ; and, as those aye said to be our be.st 
friends, who tell us plainly our faults, we will 
sketch the outlines of the pictures as they were 
presented to our mind, and invite you to look 
first upon one picture and then upon the other. 
Throughout the Middle, Northern and East- 
ern States^ Agriculturists have attained a high- 
er degree of proficiency in their vocation than 
any other portion of the Union. There, almost 
the whole face of nature, the very fields, are in 
as high state of cultivation as the great mass of 
,£he gardens at the South. Every thing bears 
upon its face the impress of enterprise, zeal and 
progressive improvement. The farmer clears 
his lands and cultivates them, not to exhaust 
them by a system of cropping, which annually 
diminishes their production, but his constant ef- 
fort is to enrich them and increase his crops. — 
Now, to arrive at the proper manner of doing 
this most successfully, he is content to be taught 
by those who, combining a higher degree of sci- 
entific attainment, have tested their discoveries 
by experiments. Hence, he supports and reads 
Agricultural papers ; and \yhenbe has seen and 
felt the good effects thereof, upon his constantly 
improving soils and his well-filled granaries and 
store-houses, his ?:eal in this great and most 
philanthropic cause is aroused, and he is not 
content that he alone shall reap the benefits of 
Agricultural journals, but he becomes desirous 
that their influence should be extended to every 
class of society — and therefore resolves upon 
gratuitous distribution. This is true patriotism 
— it is the very essence of philanthropy ; and 
yet, this is done by a people who are not unfre- 
quently sneered at by our Southern brethren for 
a want of liberality — and soinetimes charged 
with a “ littleness” in money matters amounting 
to meanness. 
That is one side of the picture. Now, let us 
present the other : but, before doing so, we beg 
leave to remark, that we are wholly and entire- 
ly identified with the South, by birth, education, 
feeling and interest ; and we therefore claim the 
right, and assume the privilege and responsibili- 
ty, of talking to you plainly. If our frankness 
offend any, we shall regret it— nevertheless, 
is a duty we owe to ourself, as well as the great 
cause which we are ?:ealou.sly endeavoring to 
support an I sustain, that we deal candidly. 
What, then, we ask, is the state of Agricul- 
tureand Agricultural improvement at the South? 
We ask every man, who reads this article, to 
stop here and look around him, to see land con- 
template the vast amount of land which has 
been exhausted by a system of culture, the very 
reverse of that practiced by our eastern bretb 
ren, and is now turned out to waste. Enquire, 
if you please, who, among all those who are 
thus annually destroying the productive proper- 
ties of the .soil, reads an Agricultural work. Go 
among those destructives of the soil, and seek to 
enlighten them upon that subject, which most 
pertains to tfieir interest and happiness, the icL- 
provement of their Jands, and learn how often 
you meet the respon^-r-“ No map ,ean tell me 
anything about farming.” Ask them to sub- 
scribe for, and read an Agricultural paper, from 
which they cannot fail to fieri, ve much valuable 
and interesting information, and .■'scertain how 
often you are tendered as an excuse, “ I have 
not time to read,” and “ I cannot afford to pay 
the subscription,” 
What a melancholy picture does such a state 
of things present to the eye of the philanthropist! 
Here are a people, strictly an Agricultural 
people, devoted to it from interest, habits and 
tastes, manifesting no interest or zeal for the im- 
provement of that science, by which they derive 
their daily sufasistence-T^pujsuing, fyom day to 
day, and from year to year, a policy which im- 
poverishes their lands, materially effects the 
happiness of the domestic circle, and cripples 
the commercial relations of the country ; and 
yet, when you urge upon them the adoption of 
measures which are calculated to correct these 
increasing evils, you are told, with the coolest 
indifference, “ we want none of these things.” 
Yet, such is Southern Agriculture generally, 
and such are Southern Agriculturists, with some 
few honorable exceptions. There is, in truth, 
none of that zeal djff’ussd among the great mass 
of the Southern people, which is such a distin- 
guished characteristic of the Northern and East- 
ern Agriculturists, There is not to be found 
that spirit of liberality, (although we boast of- 
ten that we are the very essence of liberality it- 
self,) which prompts a planter, or even an Agri- 
cultural Society, to subscribe and pay for a pa- 
per for gratuitous distribution. On the contra- 
ry, in this money-loving age in which we live, 
the great ma.ss seem to live for themselves alone 
— they have few cares for society, fewer for 
those who are to come after them ; and, notwith- 
standing their great object seems generally to 
be the accumulation of more money, they neg- 
lect the most important means to be employed 
lor the accomplishment of their purposes. 
But we must desist — and, in doing so, beg 
leave again to call the reader’s attention to the 
following paragraph ; 
The American Agriculturist for Gra- 
tuitous Distribution. — The Hampshire, 
Hampden and Franklin Agricultural Society 
ol Massachusetts, has ordered 25 copies of our 
paper for gratuitous distribufiop apaong its 
members, with a view of giving a stimulus to 
an improved system ol agriculture. We have 
also 75 copies ordered among the different so- 
cieties of this State lor premiums. We hope 
that this will be an incentive for others to go 
and do likewise. In all such cases we shall put 
our paper at the lowest possible rates at which 
it can be afforded. 
Valuable Seeds. — In our last, we inadvert- 
ently omitted to make our acknowledgements 
to the Hon. H. L. Elsworth, of the Fatent Of- 
fice, for a fine collection of valuable seeds, com- 
■prising several varieties of corn, wheat, garden 
seeds, &c. &c. 
Texas Cotton Seed. — Our friend, John W. 
Graves, of Newton county, bae sent us about 
half a bushel of Cotton Seed, for distribution 
among our friends, which he describes as being 
very prolific, apd pyoduplng a very superior ar- 
ticle of Cotton, Ths concurrent testimony of 
his neighbors and overseers, to the same facts, 
are very conclusive and saiisl'actory — which we 
regret our limits will not permit us to insert to- 
day. We shall be pleased to distribute the few 
seed we have among our friends who will call 
at the office. 
Pearidge, Harris Co., Ga., ) 
March 8th, 1844. | 
Me. Editor— I noticed in one ol the Februa- 
ry Nos. of your valuable paper, a letterfrom W, 
W, Bates, of Eufaula, Barber county, Ala., in 
which he states that many hogs and cattle have 
been lost in his neighborhood, during last fall 
and winter, by turning the.m into pea-fields, and 
asks a remedy through the columns of the Cul- 
tivator. 
I have been engaged in the pleasant business 
of farming for the last four or five years, during 
which time I have raised four crops of peas, 
which I consider a very important article of 
food for hogs My practice is to feed my stock 
bountifully for three or four days previous to 
turning them upon peas, with a heavy feed just 
as they are turned in the field, where they re- 
main until the peas are destroyed, having a tree 
access to water and a plenty of salt and ashes 
during their stay. I am happy to say, I have 
yet to loose my first hog or horse from eating 
peas. I have never suffered my cattle to be 
turned upon fresh pea fields. 
I am, sir, yours, &c., 
Thomas H. Benton. 
II^The most valuable part of every man’s 
education is that which he receives from him- 
self, especially when the active energy of his 
character makes ample amends for the want of 
a more finished course of study. 
