108 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
It the overseer cannot see every niuleted — as he 
should do, if possible — he should at least give 
out all the feed himself, and take measures tube 
assured that it is applied as directed. This is 
his especial duty, and one that few employers 
can ever assist him in ; and an overseer who 
will rigidly perform it, may always save his 
wages for his employer. Numbers waste many 
times the amount of them, by sheer neglect in 
this particular. 
The third essential duty of an overseer, is to 
take care of the stock and tools of the plantation. 
And here the employer has to rely mainly on 
him. Whether the work-animals and tools in 
use are in good condition, the employer can 
readily perceive ; but when they get out of or- 
der, he can only give general directions for the 
most part, w'hich it is the business of the over- 
seer to carry out in detail. So w'ith the cattle 
and hogs; the overseer is charged with having 
them fed, and counting them, and accounting 
lor the missing. 
If the negroes are well managed, the keys 
safely handled, and the stock and tools properly 
taken care of by an overseer, all in accordance 
with the views and orders of his employer, I 
pronounce him a good overseer, and should like 
to employ him, thnugh his crop should fail uUerhj 
— that is, if he obeyed orders, in managing it. 
Crops will fail, from bad seasons, bad manage- 
ment, and poor land. For none of these things 
is an overseer, acting in his proper sphere, at all 
responsible. God gives the seasons; the em- 
ployer pitches his crop, plants it, and directs the 
manner of working it; furnishes the hands, 
mules and utensils; and has bought poor land, 
or wilfully allows it to remain so. The over- 
seer is not to blame, if he has obeyed orders. The 
planter who does not himself select the land for 
planting, and regulate the extent of it properly, 
according to his force; and who does not adapt 
his plows and hoes, and .systematize his work- 
ing, according to his soil, is not fit for his busi- 
ness, and should give it up. I had almost said, 
the planter who does not rest or manure his land, 
so as to improve it, and cany on a scheme of 
experiments in planting, should do the same. 
But it has not come to that yet, though it soon 
will. 
In doing this part, however, let the employer 
consult his overseer, and treat his opinions re- 
spectfully, if he does not adopt them. He will 
learn much from him ; and much also will be 
learned, sometimes, by consulting his most in- 
telligent negroes. They are often good plant- 
ers; but he must decide, and do it fully, taking 
clearly on himself the responsibility, and exact- 
ing thorough obedience. 
In general, overseers are violently opposed to 
everything that is new to them in agriculture. 
The reason i s, they are lor the most part wholly 
uninformed in the science of agriculture, and de- 
ficient of correct reasoning on the principles of 
vegetation, the character of soils and manures, 
and the influence of air, heat and moisture. 
Their hints are often valuable; their arguments 
rarely; for where the conclusions of an ignorant 
planter are just, in three cases out of four his 
reasoning has been false. And how can it be 
otherwise, when to understand the simplest pro- 
cess in vegetation, requires a tolerable know- 
ledge of Chemistry, Geology, and Botany I A 
good oveiseer will readily engage in every ex- 
periment which his employer proposes. If it 
fails through his neglect, he deserves a discharge 
at least. 
It will be seen that I do not mention being a 
good planter as one of the requisites of a good 
overseer. If he could have all the requisites I 
have enumerated, and did not know cotton from 
corn, 1 should not object to him. Save me from 
an overseer who is what is called “ a good 
planter,” "ttuth his obstinacy and selficonceit. 
You have first to unlearn him all he knows, be- 
fore you can teach him anything. Some know- 
ledge of the art may be valuable, in the employ- 
er’s absence; but an employer should never be 
absent longer than he can give orders for the 
management of the crop, from planting to lay- 
ing by. As to«the idea of planting successfully. 
and being at any considerable distance from 
one’s plantation ; or leaving it for any considera- 
ble time, that is an absurdity of which all who 
have tried it are, I imagine, thoroughly con- 
vinced. 
In conclusion, let me recommend the only 
two measures 1 think practicable, in conducing 
to the improvement of overseers. Let all those 
pseudo planters who neither understand nor at- 
tend to their business, abandon it, and allow the 
renZ planter’s the opportunity of selecting from 
the overseers of the country. It will be to the 
advantage of all concerned. Then let the real 
planters exact implicit obedience to orders; take 
their own responsibilities on their own shoul- 
ders; and require of their overseers the perfor- 
mance of their proper duties — those duties only, 
but those thoroughly. 
I fear I have exhausted the patience of your 
readers with this long, rambling article. But I 
have not exhausted the subject. It is one of 
deep interest, and demands the attention of all 
engaged in agriculture. With your leave 1 
may recur to it again. Franklin. 
REPORT ON INDI.\N CORN. 
To the Editor of the Southern Agricullurist : 
Dear Sir — At a meeting of the Agricultural 
Society of South Carolina, on Tuesday, the 18th 
inst., the accompanying report was read and ac- 
cepted, and by resolution directed to be handed 
to the Editor of the Southern Agriculturist for 
publication. 
Very respectfully yours, 
Jos. F. O’Hear, Recording Sec’y. 
Charleston, June \dlh, 1844. 
Your Committee on Indian Corn, beg leave 
to report: — We consider the corn crop as second 
to no other crop made in the United States; and 
in this State, the advantage of raising our own 
supplies would be of great importance, and 
would save to the State a large sum of money 
spent annually for corn. Under those circum- 
stances, any improvements in planting, or culti- 
vating this valuable grain, must be interesting. 
By a judicious use of the plow, and other good 
management, the crop may be much increased, 
and in a few years, a lull supply for the State 
might be expected. 
In the years 1838 and ’39, about 500,000 bush- 
els of corn was imported. From October. 1841, 
to October, 1842, 300,000; and from October, 
1842, to October, 1842, 260,000; showing an in- 
crease of the crop of the State, of 100,000 bush- 
els in one year. This increase may be attribut- 
ed to the efforts made by Mr. Ruffin and others, 
in recommending marl and other manures, and 
the proper use of plows. 
All plants derive their nourishment from air, 
water and soil, and the corn plant mu.st have a 
supply of air and moisture to effect a full devel- 
opment of its growth; and the soil, to do ite 
part, must be well manured and cultivated. 
Where the land has been long planted, there 
is frequently a hard subsoil crust, which must 
be well broken up by the subsoil plow, to enable 
the perpendicular roots to penetrate deep into 
the earth, to obtain moisture for the plant. 
In preparing land for a corn crop, we would 
recommend that in the early part of the winter, 
a furrow of six or eight inches deep should be 
made with the common plou ; that the subsoil 
plow should be run in this furrow to the addi- 
tional depth of ten or twelve inches, and that 
cornstalks and other manure should be put in 
this trench, and listed in, when thoroughly wet, 
with a small plow or hoe, as may be conve- 
nient ; the land to remain in this state to the pe- 
riod of planting. 
We cannot too highly recommend the use of 
the subsoil plow. By its use the soil will be 
less wet after great rains, and more moist in 
great drouth. Mr. Delaplain informs us, that 
in 1823 he planted a field of25 acres of corn; 
that in a part of this field he used the subsoil 
plow, and in the other part the common tillage. 
A furrow was made with the common bar 
share-plow, five or six inches deep, and with 
the subsoil plow seven inches deeper; that in 
all other respects, the soil, planting and ullage 
was the same. In that part of the field where 
the subsoiler was used, the corn kept iis color 
throughout the season, and produced 50 per 
centum more than the other. And wheie the 
common tillage was used, it suffered much from 
drouth, and fired considerably. 
Mr. C.M. Bernent also sratesthat hesubsoil- 
ed a part of a piece of ground which he planted 
in Indian corn. The piece of ground was on a 
light loamy, or sandy knoll. That he sub-soiled 
it in strips, leaving alternate strips not subsoil- 
ed, all being manured alike: he ran the .subsoil- 
er from eight to ten inches deep. The season 
proved to be very dry, and where the subsoil 
plow was not used, the corn was so burnt up 
that it produced nothing; but where it was used, 
the corn remainea green and flourishing tlirouc^h 
all the drouth, and produced a good crop. ° 
By the use of the subsoil plow in England, the 
crop of corn has been increased to an incredible 
d.'gree, frequenth^ doubled, and in many instan- 
ces trebled. 
The best time for planting corn is about the 
middle of March. The soil must be moi-t at 
ihe time of planting, or a good stand cannot be 
expected. The seed corn ought to have been 
selected with care in the field from those stalks 
bearing the greatest number of ears. And here 
we would recommend in the highest terms the 
use of the coal-tar, to preserve the seed from 
birds, &c. When the seed is well prepared by 
the use of coal-tar and soot, and the soil well 
moistened by a good rain, to be planted at the 
distance of three feet, the rows being from five to 
six feet apart; and either one, or two stalks 
should be left, according to the fertility of the 
soil. Where the soil is very rich, or highly 
manured, we think it best to plant at two feet 
apart, and to leave two stalks. 
As soon as the corn is up, the plow ought to 
be used in breaking up and pulverizing the earth 
between the rows, and when five or six inches 
high, the best plowman ought to run a furrow as 
near as possible to the plant, the bar side of the 
plow being next to it, and the other plowmen 
may break up the intermediate space between 
the rows. At this period the plowing ought to 
be deep and close, breaking up, and pulverizing 
well the soil. By porosity of soil, the air is ad- 
mitted, and a larger quantity of organic and in- 
organic food for the plant, is afforded. 
In dry weather the oftener the plow is used the 
better, until the corn is about cne third grown, 
after which, the plow ought to be laid aside, and 
the cultivator or hoe-harrow used in its place. 
In wet weather the plow ought never to be used. 
Corn is benefitted at all periods of its growth, 
by the application of manure on the surface, 
over the roots. It the drouth is great, and the 
corn far advanced towards maturity, the surface 
crust must be broken, and the earth frequently 
stirred lightly to admit air and moisture to the 
roots, but cafe must be had not to disturb or cu: 
the lateral, or surface roots. 
About the time corn is maturing, brace roots 
shoot out from the joints near the surface of the 
earth. These roofs frequently strike deep into 
the earth, affording both nourishment and sup- 
port to the plant. If a high hill has been made, 
these roots shoot out higher upon the stalk 
w’here it is brittle, and likely to be snapped off 
the first high wdnd. If there be little or no hill- 
ing, the corn would bend and yield to the storm, 
and rise again, having sustained little, or no in- 
jury. This would be particularly the case, 
where the soil is very fertile, and highly culti- 
vated. 
Well growm corn has from forty to sixty large 
roots extendingfrom the joints under the ground, 
which, with the tap-root, penetrate deep into the 
soil, if not obstructed by a hard subsoil. From 
these large roots innumerable small fibrous 
roots shoot out in all directions towards the sur- 
face, extending across the rows five or six feet, 
in search of nourishment for the plant. The 
large perpendicular roots afford moisture, and 
the small fibrous roots, food to the plant. The 
deeper the perpendicular roots penetrate the 
soil, the less injury the plant will sustain from 
