VoL. II. AUGUSTA, GA., AUGUST 21, 1844. ISo. 17. 
SELECTIONSj EXTRACTS, &,c. 
EXrRACT FROM RUFFIN’S SURVEY. 
Cause of the Rust in Cotton — Corn, Rotation of — Rava- 
ges of the Insect — The Pea Crop : its advantages as a 
rest or manure crop under a burning sun — The Sweet 
Potato — Grasses — Clover, etc. 
The rust of the growing cotton is one of the 
most general and most destructive diseases to 
which that crop is subject. Sundry causes are 
alleged lor this disease, some or all of which 
may truly be auxiliary or even inducing causes 
to the main one, which (according to my general 
position before staled) I take to be the depreda- 
tions of myriads of very minute insects, to which 
the green cotton plant furnishes their best, if 
not their peculiar food. Other circumstances, 
of weather or soil, at different times, may serve 
to increase or check, or even prevent the depre- 
dations of these insects ; but the circumstances 
which increase their injurious effects, could not 
operate, unless the insects were present. And 
it may be presumed that they would not be pre- 
sent, or be very lew in number, if the preceding 
crop had not been cotton, but some other crop 
on which these insects could not live. In con- 
firmation, I understand that cotton is rarely at- 
tacked by rust, when it does not immediately 
succeed cotton. The otherdiseases of this crop 
may be ascribed to other tribes of insects ; and 
the means of prevention, either partial or effec- 
tual, would be also a change of the continued 
succession of cotton, and the intervention of a 
condition of the soil as unlike as possible to that 
Tinder cotton culture. 
Corn seems to need change of soil less than 
any other of the great crops; and the many ca- 
ses of success with which it has been raised for 
many years in succession on the same fertile 
field, have been triumphantly adduced by the 
opposers of rotation, as a certain and manifest 
proof that a change of crop is not necessary. 
Even if this were true, as to this particular 
plant, it would not affect the general question. 
The hardiness and vigor of the corn plant on a 
fine soil may enable ic to withstand the depreda- 
tions of some of the several tribes of insects 
which it breeds and nourishes ; and others (as 
ihe cut-worm, so fatal in other circumstances ) 
may be destroyed by the continued tillage and 
naked and open state of the soil. But though, 
by such or other means, land may continue°to 
produce corn in long succession, much better 
than other crops so continued, still this is not 
even an exception to the general rule of the ne- 
cessity for rotation. On the rich alluvial low 
grounds, subject more or less to freshes, where 
corn is usually the sole and annually recurring 
crop, it is true that heavy growths continue to 
be raised. But it is said, that in the most favo- 
rable seasons, there is a considerable proportion 
of rotten grain, even when not exposed to, or in- 
jured by water. These entirely rotten ears are 
often among the largest, and the product of 
flourishing stalks; and their unsound state may 
not be suspected until they are stripped of the 
enveloping shuck. This, and perhaps other in- 
flictions of such crops, must be caused by the 
ravages of corn-bred and corn-sustaining in- 
sects. Yet this kind of land is not entirely with- 
ont change of condition. The rank cover of 
weeds and grass which follow the last tillage of 
the corn, serves in some measure as a green 
shading and manuring crop. And even the in- 
undations from freshes, which occur every year, 
however injurious in other respects, produce 
such great change of condition, that they may 
destroy or remove whole tribes of insects. 
A stronger confirmation of this general posi- 
tion in regard to corn, 1 have learned on infor- 
mation from the proprietor of a piece of land in 
Virginia, with which I am personally acquaint- 
ed. It is a large field of deep, mellow, light soil, 
very rich, high and level land, and so peculiar- 
ly adapted to the growth of corn, that the pro- 
prietor thought fit to keep it under that crop eve- 
ry year, it was so cultivated for thirteen years 
in succession ; peas being planted with every 
crop, which, with such supplies as were afford- 
ed of other manure, maintained the high fertili- 
ty and product of the land. But thou 2 h the 
quantity of corn produced was not perceptibly 
reduced, the rotten portion (and rotten without 
any apparent cause) continued to increase, un- 
til it reached so large a proportion of the whole 
product, and the evil was of so regular occur- 
rence, that this peculiar mode of cultivation 
was from necessity abandoned, and the ordina- 
ry previous plan of rotation was resumed. 
But besides this important consideration, of 
certain tribes of destructive insects being sus- 
tained by some certain condition, and still more 
by the increased continued same condition of a 
field, and destroyed by a thorough change of 
that condition, such changes are better for the 
mere complete eradication of some of the worst 
weeds, and still more for the better product of 
the cultivated crops. Plowing or stirring the 
soil, however necessary to be well done while 
the growth of a crop needs it, is hurtful to gene- 
ral production, if continued year after year, 
without cessation. Perhaps the growth of all 
crops may require intervals of rest and consoli- 
dation of the soil .; and it is certain that some 
crops, which prefer a soil of firm and close tex- 
ture, (as clover and wheat,) cannot be as suc- 
cessfully raised upon soils kept long before un- 
der tillage and hoed crops. 
And while for some purposes of tillage or 
product, there may he required a partial consoli- 
dation of soil, others may be best forwarded by 
very deep and thorough working. And* two 
crops which are peculiarly favored by the cli- 
mate of South Carolina, and which are among 
the many great blessings of this region, serve 
admirably for these opposite purposes. These 
are field peas and sweet potatoes, which crops, 
extended as may be their culture already, and 
great their products, have not yet been duly ap- 
preciated in respect to all their benefits. 
The pea crop, sown broad-cast, is an admira- 
ble rest or manure crop— giving shade, mois- 
ture and consolidation to the soil— and serving, 
by the sudden and great change of condition 
from any clean tillage crop, to remove or lessen 
the foulness of land, both of insect and vegetable 
plagues. Such I have known in my own prac- 
tice, to be the highly beneficial operation of this 
crop, even under the much less congenial cli- 
mate of Virginia ; and much better must it 
serve in South Carolina, where not only are the 
climate and soil more suitable, but where the 
want of a crop so operating is far greater. 
The length and heat of summer in this region, 
greatly increases the value of the pea crop. Be- 
ing generally planted among the growing corn, 
and at a late period of its growth, the peas have 
enough time and ■^un to cover the ground well, 
and to mature, after the corn ceases to grow or 
to shade the land. This peculiar benefit of a 
southern climate, in regard to peas, is generally 
appreciated and availed of ; and in this, some 
approach is made to an alternation of crops. 
Another and greater advantage, wherever wheat 
or oats are sown, is that the hardv black or red 
pea may be sown with these crops respectively, 
either late in autumn, or early in spring, and 
will often produce a good manuring green crop 
after the grain crop, at no more cost than the 
sowing of the peas. This^ process is, as yet, 
new, and so limited in extent, as to be deemed 
merely an experiment, of which the result is not 
fully determined. I know only ofMr. V/m. K. 
Davis, of Fairfield, and Maj. J. Littlejohn, of 
Union, who have, for several years, made the 
experiment, and so far successfully. And their 
object was not lo use the secondary crop of peas, 
for what I deem its main valae, that of being 
given to the field as manure. 
These hardy and thick-skinned peas, if left 
OB or covered in the ground, will not rot from all 
the cold and wet weather of winter. The dan- 
ger to be feared and guarded against, is from the 
occurrence of a warm spell, which would in- 
duce sprouting, and consequently, the killing of 
the peas by succeeding cold weather. The 
peas grow so slowly at first, as not to be in the 
w'ay of the covering grain crop ; but start rapid- 
ly as soon as the latter has been removed. On 
September 1st, I saw a field of Maj. Littlejohn’s, 
which had borne wdieat this year, and was then 
under a second growth of black peas, too thin, 
indeed, generally, but of well advanced growth, 
and which promised a valuable manuring co- 
ver to the land. No seed had been sown fer 
this crop. It sprung entirely from the peas 
grown there the preceding year among corn, 
and which, though the vines were pulled up and 
the orop removed as usual, from the shelled and 
wasted seed left on the ground, this crop was 
produced the succeeding year. 
in the sweet potato, this country possesses a 
root more valuable in product, than that of any 
loot cropofmore northern climates, highly and 
deservedly as root crops are there prized. And 
potato culture, so far as it extends, ought to 
make an important and peculiarly valuable part 
of a general scheme of rotation, because of the 
peculiar growth of the crop, and the peculiar 
condition in which it puts the land. The sweet 
potato, though reported to draw heavily upon the 
soil, as do all root crops, yet, as one ot the broad- 
leaved plants, it must draw largely from the at- 
mosphere also; and as it can be so cheaply 
planted, (by slips) and easily tilled, perhaps this 
plant might even be profitably used as a manur- 
ing crop. But, even when the roots are remov- 
ed for use, and (as usual) hogs turned in to eat 
the remnants, the deep growth of, and digging 
for the roots, also the thorough and deep rooting 
by the hogs, produce a condition of deep and 
perfect tillage, w'hich is rarely attained in any 
other case, and might be most beneficially made 
the preparation for some other crop requiring 
very deep plowing and tilth to prepare for its 
growth. 
Perennial, or other permanent grasses, of 
w'hich, doubtless, there may be found some pe- 
culiarly suited to this warm climate, wmuld still 
more serve to give the great benefits of changed 
condition to the fields, independent of the much 
needed benefits of grass husbandry for the feed- 
ing ot live-stock, and giving rest and manure to 
the land. The grasses whose value has been 
