THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
Care should, however, be taken to draw up the 
earth around them as they begin to grow above 
the ground. They have been grown on my 
place the past season, of fine size ; the season, 
as will be remembered, was a dry and unfavo- 
rable one. They possess more nutriment, and 
are superior to the common turnep for milk 
cows, imparting little or no flavor to the milk 
and butter, and as I am satisfied from experi- 
ence, that they will succeed, I would urge their 
cultivation upon the members ol our Society 
generally. 
Respectlully submitted. 
John Sommer, Chairman, 
HEPORT ON CATTLE, 
The Chairman ot the Committee on Cattle, 
respectfully submits the following Report — 
The condition of this portion ot our stock, 
renders it highly important, that a report should 
annually be read belore our Society; and that 
no neglect should be attributed on his part, he 
submits such infor.uation as he has been able 
to collect : 
When we consider the important part, which 
cattle form in our domestic economy, we ought 
to be induced to give them all the care and at- 
tention, which they require. Instead of this, 
we too frequently find that neglect, almost utter 
neglect, is their lot, 
VVhoever intends to commence the work ef 
improvement in .stock, must first direct his at- 
tentio.r to the introduction of a good breed: lor 
any person, who will lay aside prejudice, will per- 
ceive at once that the improved breed, which 
has been introduced among us, is much superior 
to the common stock of the country. Although 
in many instances, gross imposition has been 
practiced upon the communiiy by our stock- 
driving neighbors, in introducing an interior 
breed of cattle, lor thorough breds, yet it has 
been the means, by resorting to the pure blood, 
of furnishing a cross, which in time, with a ju- 
dicious course of management, will produce an 
excellent race of cattle. In recommending a 
breed for this purpose, I feel confident t’hat for 
the general improvement of our stock, the full 
bred short horn will prove the best. It will im- 
prove their milking properties, and give them 
size and an aptitude to fatten more rapidly. It 
will improve them in the points essential to 
good beef cattle, giving them lighter heads and 
necks and better hind quarter-r-giving them 
weight in the proper points — points all desirab.e 
in meat cattle. A. B. Allen, of New^-York, 
contended, that it was useless to import Ayer- 
shires, at a high price, when they could, by 
breeding their best milkers of the common 
stock to short horn bulls, produce animals ot 
the same qualities at a trifling cost. It is true 
we have not as good common stock, as those to 
which Mr. Allen alludes, as they are remotely 
descended from the Herefords and Devons; but 
the experiment has already been commenced by 
a member ot our Society, (Mr, Wm. Summer, 
of Pomara,) and the calves need only be seen, 
to be convinced of the great benefit to be ex- 
pected from this cross. The milk-cow requires 
a generous supply of suitable food, if you would 
have her give a regular supply of good, whole- 
some and nutritious milk, w'hich is alt impor- 
tant in making the best quality of butter. Corn 
meal, shorts, w'heat bran, wdth peas, pumpkins 
and turneps, in their proper season, furnish the 
principal food. An importani article ol food 
has been almo.st w'holly neglected; I allude to 
cornstalks. There are many stalks in old land 
which scarcely produce a shoot; these should 
be gathered v/hen the fodder is usually taken, 
or before, and cut up on cutting machines, (the 
improved machines w'hich are made durable, 
answer an excellent purpose,) and a regular 
supply given everyday: the tops of corn, even 
alter the fodder is taken off, should he fed in 
this way, as it will give a large quantity of food, 
which if left to die upon the stalks is wholly lost. 
In the north, many farmers, who own extensive 
herds ot cattle, keep them stabled during sum- 
mer, and soil them upon corn stalks, sowm ex- 
pressly for this purpose, either thickly in the 
drill, or broadcast upon land well prepared : the 
stalks grow up slender, and when the tassel ap- 
pears, it is cut of at the ground, and an enor- 
mous quantity of food is obtained to the acre. 
As It is by being sown thickly prevented from 
sending out shoots, it is rich in saccharine sub- 
stance, and when led green, or in a cured state, 
it furnishes superior food lor cattle and horses. 
The attention of our friends, I trust, need only 
be directed to these things to give them a fair 
trial. Pea-vines furnish also an excellent ar- 
ticle for soiling. During winter a good turnep 
crop is all important to cattle of any desciiption. 
For milch cattle the rutabaga is to be preferred, 
imparting little or no flavor to the milk ; it is 
moreover rich in nutriment, and with suitable 
culture, succeeds well in our climate; the tur- 
neps should always be w'ashed, before being 
fed. iShelter is another requisite of importance 
for the proper rearing and keeping of cattle. 
Cows require shelter, more so than that ot the 
horse, and at all times during bad weather, it 
should be within their reach ; — under this, in 
sui.able troughs, they should be furnished with 
salt; suitable racks should be put up to feed 
them in,an:l to prevent waste. The calves de- 
signed for breeders should have good attention ; 
a regular supply of milk for four months at 
least should be allowed them; the better to do 
this they should be early taujtht to drink from 
the pail, and by giving them skimmed milk you 
obtain the cream, and they thrive equally as 
well, as if suffered to draw’ from the teat. They 
should have access to good grass pastures in 
summer, and rye pastures in winter and Spring, 
with a portion of good hay and a small quanti- 
ty of corn meal daily. ITey should be regu- 
larly stabled, and in rainy weather, kept stabled 
daring the day, as the cold rains are very inju- 
rious to them while young. Young cattle should 
have, during wimer, a regular supply of tur- 
neps, with their dry provender, and by this 
means they are kept in a much more healthy 
condition, than if confined to the latter food, and 
continue to improve through the w'hole winter, 
instead of pining away, at the time when green 
pasturage can no longer be had. 
In conclusion we would urge the attention of 
the members of .our Society generally, to the 
improvement of this branch of their stock, con- 
scious that they will be amply repaid for the 
care bestowed. 
All of wdiich is respectfullv submitted. 
G. T. Scott, Chairman. 
REPORT ON SHEEP. 
Your Committee on Sheep beg leave to Re- 
port: — That they consider the raising of this 
article of stock, at this period of our political 
history, of no little importance to the agricul- 
turist in the South. Twenty years ago, when 
cotton was selling for from 16 to S25 per 100 
lbs., and the duty to which imported goods for 
ordinary wear were subject, was comparatively 
low, the cultivators of the soil might, they think, 
with some propriety, have taken from the pro- 
ceeds of the sale of their cotton crop, a sum 
sufficient to buy w'herewith to clothe themselves 
and their laborers. Since that period a great 
change has come over us — such an one too, as 
renders it necessary that every farmer should, 
in the opinion of your Committee, cultivate all 
his resources. The raising of sheep, therefore, 
in their opinion, should not be neglected, as in 
their fleece we obtain a raw material which 
they alone yield, and from which fabrics are 
manufactured wholly indispensable. 
Your Committee have had little or no expe- 
rience in the improvement, which they have no 
doubt would result from crosses with the South- 
down, Bakewell, Saxony and Merino — and must, 
therefore, confine their remarks to what they 
conceive to be the treatment necessary for the 
native breed of sheep. 
At the commencement of cold weather, say 
middle or last of October, your Committee find 
it necessary to commence feeding sheep. Sheaf 
oats, corn and fodder, hay or husks, are good. 
Green pastures of rye or barley, (if they have 
been prepared,) will in some degree supercede 
the necessity of feeding ; and they think impor- 
tant to the well doing of sheep. In the absence of 
green lots they should be permitted to browze 
about in old fields, about branch sides and in 
wood pastures in dry weather, in addition to 
the feed they receive. Ewes, at the time they 
bring forth their young, should be careJully kept 
from among hogs, or the lambs will be de'stroy- 
ed by them. Lambs, when young, aie quite 
tender, and should for a few days have special 
attention, and they with their dams should have 
shelter provided for them during seveie weather. 
About the middle or last of March, all may be 
turned to grass. It is thought they are more 
healthy when kept on short grass, as long grass 
will frequently produce scours and destroy ma- 
ny. 
Shearing should be done about the lull moon 
in May. If shorn earlier, their numbers are 
liable to be thinned by the effects of cold. Shear- 
ing in the fall, they think should not be done. 
They find the use of tar a pretty good specific 
against the effects of cold. It may be applied 
to their noses, and occasionally a small quanti- 
ty forced down their throats. It will also an- 
swer to keep the trough or plank, v here they 
are salted, wmll smeared wdth tar, and their salt 
placed on it. They should be carefully salted 
once a week the year round. 
As a preventive against the depredations of 
dogs, one of your Committee has adopted the 
plan of pasturing his sheep with his cattle, and 
herding them together at night. On the dogs 
attacking the sheep, they fly to the- cattle, and 
are effectually protected by them. 
When the sheep are kept up all summ.er, they 
should be frequently shifted from one pasture to 
another. Sheep are very fond ol herbs, such 
as found in the wmods; and which your Com- 
mittee think, tend to keep them iii a healthy 
condition, A body of woods inclosed, with their 
pasture, might be of service to them. 
All of which is respectfullv submiued. 
P. Hair, Chairman. 
New’berry Dist., (S. C.) Sept. 25. 
Planting too much Cotton. — The follow- 
ing remarks, says the Savannah Republican, 
from the Hamburg Journal are not a whit the 
less sensible because briefly and plainly express- 
ed. Our planters would indeed do w ell to re- 
flect seriously upon thissubject. Puisuing their 
present course of overproducing cotton, they 
ought not to anticipate anything bin short prices 
and pecuniary embarrassments. The result of 
the recent election, by increasing the probabili- 
ties of annexation, and the enlargement of our 
cotton producing territory will only tend to ag- 
gravate these evils. Depreciation ot the prices 
of both lands and negroes, and ultimate ruin 
must be the result, unless the difficulty is met, 
as was suggested, by a diversion of labor. The 
Editor of the Journal, says: 
“ Planters ol the South, can you raise cotton 
at present prices? If the great impiovemtntin 
agriculture of late, and the cheapness of labor, 
will warrant the pursuit ol this employment, 
well and good; but if, on the contiary, this is 
not the case, you should reflect on the matter, 
and cast about fora more suitable investment 
of labor, capital, and time. You are a wmre that 
the western lands, and those of 1 ex as, wdll re- 
pay the planter more at five cents or even less, 
than our lands will at six cents; and yet you 
drive on in one long train of toil every year, 
without counting the cost of these thines. 
“What then is to be done, you will ask 7 — 
Plant less of the staple, raise more provisions, 
live more at home, improve your lands and 
stock, and let your farms present an appearance 
of industry, thrift, and plenty. This is a great 
country, and all we have to do, is to use exer- 
tions in making it beautiful, and ourselves hap- 
py and independent, as much as possible, ot 
other countries. Be sure that yon have a suffi- 
ciency at home, and then send off the surplus. 
Patronize home industry in all its various 
branches, and then we shall become a thriving 
and contented people,” 
