THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
175 
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER. 31, 1844. 
To Correspondents. — We welcome with 
unleigned pleasure, the contribution ol S. B. to 
our columns, and indulge the hope that he will 
find frequent occasion herealter to enrich them 
with the results of his investigations in the sci- 
ence ol Agriculture. 
“A Georgia Overseer” is received, and 
%vill obtain a place in our next. 
Houston County Agricultural Society. 
— We owe an explanation to our Houston 
county friends for the delay in the publication 
of their proceedings. The manuscript happen- 
ed to get misplaced, and was consequently for- 
gotten, until in one of our researches a lew days 
since, it was found. In future, we trust, the 
same or any like mishap will not occur. 
The Markets — Cotton.— Now that the 
business season has fairly opened, we shall re- 
sume in our next, the reports of the markets ; 
and from time to time, we shall endeavor to 
present, for the consideration of our readers, 
some reflections in reference to the 'future 
policy to be adopted by the growers of our 
great staple. That something must and 
should be done to secure a better price for the 
cotton crop, is becoming more and more ap- 
parent; and that this object can only be accom- 
plished by a diminished production, is equal- 
ly apparent to the most casual observer. We 
grow entirely too much — the consequence of 
which is, that every market in the world is 
largely overstocked now, which must be greatly 
increased by the crop now coming in, w-hich 
promises to be the largest ever grown in the 
United States. The only corrective therefore 
for this state of things, is a diminished produc- 
tion, which will enable our planters, by a just 
and prudent division of their labor, to cultivate 
other crops, while if only one half the cotton is 
produced, the planter will obtain for it a greater 
amount of money than he now obtains, with 
such an over-production. It is worse than fol- 
ly to attempt to remedy the low prices of cotton 
by making more; for we now make more than 
the whole machinery of the wmrld can possibly 
consume. Designing to recur to this subject 
hereafter, and to treat it more in detail, we mere- 
ly throw out these hints now, for the purpose of 
warning our friends in advance of the suicidal 
policy of increasing their crops of cotton, that 
they may in time prepare for the necessary 
changes in their system of agriculture. 
The Danvers Eagle mentions a remarka- 
ble apple-tree, which has been in continual 
bloom since last spring, and has now on it ap- 
ples of five difierent growths, and is still blos- 
soming. 
New Cabbage. — The Albany Cultivator 
chronicles a new variety of this plant, called the 
Roman cabbage, and sa3's:— -The variety 
seems to possess some peculiarities. It is more 
solid, and heavier ia proportion to its bulk, than 
any we have seen. It also grows very quick. 
The head shown us, weighed twenty pounds on 
the 20th of July. Its shape is oblong, and much 
pointed at the top. It is said to keep better 
than any other cabbage. The seed was brought 
into the country by some Germans.” 
|;;^It is said that charcoal is a remedy for 
rust on the gooseberry. 
|:^The rot in the potatoe, so remarkably 
prevalent this year at the North, is exciting 
considerable attention, and we see many ar- 
ticles in our exchanges relative to the cause — 
but nothing very satisfactory has yet been eli- 
cited, in our opinion. It seems most generally 
attributed to wet weather, at an unfavorable 
period in its growth. Others attribute it to 
fungi, or insects. 
|:;^The Agricultural Fairs, Cattle-shows, 
and Hoiticultural exhibitions, this year, are 
highly creditable to our more northern farmers. 
If you desire to be rembered and honored 
by posterity, says the Maine Cultivator, plant 
a few trees each year around your premises. It 
is the sine qiut, non of patriotism — a “ good” that 
will survive when you are gone, and embalm 
your memory. 
Speaking of the economising of manures 
Hannam says: — “Nothing must be allowed to 
run away in the form of a fluid, or to fly awmy 
in the disguise of a smell.” These few words 
embody more wdsdom than we often find in a 
lengthy essay. 
In Westchester Co., N. Y., the disease in the 
potatoe is general. On Long Island, on heavy 
ground the rot is prevalent, but in light sandy 
soils, they have escaped. The continued wet 
weather is assigned as the cause by the Long 
Island Farmer. 
Ventilation and cleanliness are very impor- 
tant helps to economy in the feeding of all ani- 
mals. Shelter and wmrmth will do harm, if free 
and pure air is not admitted to the fattening 
stock. The same is true of cleanliness, so fa- 
vorable to the health of all animals. The clean- 
er their houses and skins are kept, the more 
they thrive under any given form of treatment 
in other respects. — Johnston. 
From the Galena Gazette. 
WOOL: 
The history of the growth of wool is very cu- 
rious. Fifty years ago, not a pound of fine 
wool was raised in the United States, in Great 
Britain, or in any other country, except Spain. 
In the latter country, the flocks were owmed ex- 
clusively by the Nobility, or by the Crown. In 
1794, a small flock was sent to the Elector of 
Saxony, as a present from the King of Spain, 
whence the entire product of Saxoay wool, now 
of such immense value. Before the breaking 
out of the last war between this country and 
Great Britain, Col. Humphreys succeeded in 
getting a few Merino sheep brought out of 
Spain, though their exportation was prohibited 
under penalty of being sent to the galleys for 
life. 
In 1809, during the second invasion of Spain 
by the Fren«h, some of the valuable Crown 
flocks were sold to raise money. Our Consul 
at Lisbon, Mr, Jarvis, purchased fourteen hun- 
dred head, and sent them to this country. Pre- 
viously, however, Mr. Livingston obtained a 
few sheep of the Spanish breed as a present, in 
1792. A portion of the pure unmixed Alerino 
blood from these flocks is to be found in Ver- 
mont at this time. Such was the oiign of the 
immense flocks of the fine woolled sheep in the 
United States and Great Britain. 
From the Boston Bee. 
INDIVIDUAL EFFORT. 
Every thing is accomplished by it— no great 
reform or plan for the improvement of mankind 
was ever originated and carried forward, save 
by individual effort. The masses never start 
up in a body and adopt this or that mode of re- 
form, moral or political— there must be a pi- 
oneer, a leader, one to start the thing; and after 
him many more to put their shoulders to the 
work individually. When impressed with the 
truth of a thing, we should not wait for our 
neighbor or neghbors to think as we do, before 
putting our thoughts in practice — we should go 
right about it, do as we think is just and right, 
regardless of the opposition and sneers of those 
whose habits and prejudices run counter to it 
remembering that “example is belter than pre- 
cept,” and that “actions speak louder than 
words.” 
Many people, however deeply the necessity 
of reform or improvement may be felt by them, 
have not the courage to encounter difficulties 
by acting up to their sense of right, especially 
if the sense of right be opposed to the habits 
and prejudices of those around them. What 
can I do, they say, (or think.) with so many op- 
posed to me 7 But in this they make a great 
mistake — millions are counted by beginning 
with an unit, and by individual effort the most 
stupendous undertakings are carried forward to 
successful issue. In political matters, we are 
frequently told of how much has been accom- 
plished by a single vote, and the fact has been 
over and over again proved that the most simple 
and apparently unimportant act of our lives has 
exerted the greatest influence, not only over 
them, but on the destinies ol others. We can- 
not calculate the amount of good or evil that 
flows from the negl ict or use of individual ef- 
fort. Often times the neglect of doing what we 
know to be right, is productive of more evil 
than a positive wrong. We are therefore cal- 
led upon to do whatsoever our reason teaches 
us to be right, as well as to abstain from what 
we know to be wrong. 
Every man should feel tlat he is individually 
responsible for his acts, and that because others 
do what his judgment teaches him to be wrong, 
it is no excuse for him supinely to follow in 
their track. Every man should think for him- 
self, and so thinking should act. In political 
matters, his vote should be given according to 
the dictates of his judgment, regardless of how 
others vote around him — it is his privilege, the 
sign of his freedom, and he knows not how much, 
in the aggregate, may depend upon this indivi- 
dual exercise of his will. In morals, in religion, 
it is the same. The individual is accountable, 
and he should never forget the responsibility 
that attaches to him, or fancy that the humble- 
ness of his situation in life deprives him of the 
rights and privileges of manhood, or exempts 
him from a performance of the duties belonging 
thereto. In a moral or political point of view, 
we are all equal, and the most important results 
may (and more frequently do) hinge upon the 
actions of a poor man, as well as upon those of 
his richer neighbor. Let us never forfeit our 
independence and manhood by supineness or 
fawning or forget how much may be accom- 
plished by individual eflhrt. 
USEFUL RECIPE. 
1 send you below, Messrs. Editors, a recipe 
for making a composition which will render 
wood entirely incombustible. It is very simply 
prepared, and quite easy of application, being 
used the same as paint with an ordinary brush. 
A good coat of it applied to the floor under the 
stoves would be an excellent precaution. 
Take a quantity of water proportioned to the 
