THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
195 
buke be iliitrib an 1 respect be sbibsuituteJ for ' 
censure. But when the probab'e eornipiion of 
morals is plead in ju-"ti|.€aiion of wiiliholjin^ 
the means of hno wjed^e, and yet is jeop; rded 
without n-B-sgiving for the sake of a lucrative 
employment, the evidence is clear that the love j 
of gold has been mistaken lor the love of puri- 
ty. The verv man who would ex lose his son 
without a sigh to the di>.sipa ions of a city fora 
clerkshif), or associate him witii some sector in 
depravity for installatirtu in business, wouhl 
yet dilate with pious horror upon the entice- 
ments of sinners in the place of learning; and 
conscience, betrayed by the sophistry of the ba- 
sest passion of the humati niifid, sleeps gently 
under the conviction, that though the high ca- 
pabilities of our immortal nature were left to 
idleness and waste, yet the substantial interests 
of earth were lodged amid all the securities that 
wisdom could forecast or pruderjce provide. 
Alas! for the sense of responsibility that can be 
composed to rest by such an arrangement 
4-las! lor the parental tenderness that can be 
gratified in its dearest wish at so cheap a rate. 
The good old republican, who would not have 
his son to grow foppish or proud, by knowing 
more than his oxen, has done a lathei’s part in 
teaching him to be selfish and covetous, wiser 
too, “than seven men who can render a reason” 
because he could write his name — cast his vote 
-T-hdd figures —knew money when he saw it, 
and loved it when he got it —was equal to the 
best in the land according to the declaration of 
independence and the constitution of the coun- 
try. This is now the popular doctrine. 
The tim° has been when knowledge, espe- 
cially that which was exalted aod refin d, was 
the monopoly of a few — robed in the garb of 
mystery— immured in cloisters and dealt to the 
pgople with a sparing hand. This system was 
vindicated by the exclusive patrician maxims 
that learning diverted the people from the avo- 
cations of industry — inspired an impertinent 
curiosity or a dangerous ambition, and must, 
therefore be restricted. But while these hoary 
.errors of a barbaric age have been abandoned 
by the master spirits of modern times, they yet 
linger an incubus and a shame among the class 
for whose benefit the change has been wrought. 
But the sun which gilds with his earliest beams 
the mountain lops, is destined in his upward tra- 
yel to lift from the valley’s bosom the darkness 
and the mist. The revolution of popular sen- 
timent is slow, in the absence of strongly exci- 
sing causes, and in this land of equal privileges, 
we have trusted too much, perhaps, to the ope- 
ration of natural agencies. Reason may be 
free to combat error, but the battle may be 
fought over our graves, unless we accelerate the 
conflict ; and victory too may linger with her 
ancient banner, if the frijendsof truth and light 
come not to the rescue. Oh ! for some plastic 
power to move upon the face of the waters, that 
the reign of light might now begin. 
(ConcIu<3e4 in oiar next.) 
From the American Farmer. 
CONVERSATION ON THE ECONOMY AND MAN- 
AGEMENT OF THE FARM. 
“How should a farmer act to accumulate 
and husband t^e greatest amount of manure'!” 
“ It is difficult to answer a question so vague- 
ly put. Before any one can give anything like 
a solution approaching to reality, it would be 
jiecessary to know the kind of farm, quantity of 
larood land, of meadow, number and kind of 
gtock, quantity of land in grass, vegetable pro- 
ductions and kind, number and kind of stock, 
and many other particulars connected with the 
particular system of farming pursued. It is 
possible, however, to throw out such general 
hints, as may serve as a guide, and by which 
we may arrive at such conclusions, as will ena- 
ble any careful observing farmer, to make the 
most of the materials within his reach which are 
convertable into manure?” 
“Now, that is what I mean by my question, 
and I would be obliged if you would give me 
juur views.” 
“ I will do so with pleasure, though before 1 
commence, I wish you to bear in mind, that 
vvbati may aJvance upi-m the subject, is only 
to be considered in the light of opinviu^ upon 
which yi'U ate to exercise your oaii judgment 
freely. In the first place, a larmer ought to 
make it an iinpoitant pan of hissysiemol tarni- 
1 ing, to accumulate everything (;ri his larm sus- 
ce[)iiljle of being convene,! into manure, and 
place it in a cunuition to he availed of without 
mateiial l,.ss. It lias long been my Ojiiniun, 
that ever')’ man v\ ho woiks a firm ot f otn two 
to five hundred acres, wuukl Ibid it to his inte- 
rest to keep a team and hand constantly engaged 
in the collection of materials and the lormation 
oi manure heaps, as without such economy and 
forecast, the exhaustion of his land, which is 
continually going on by the growth of his crops, 
must impoverir-h his soil and render it unpro- 
ductive.” 
“ How could a larmer find employment for a 
hand and team thus io be occupied? What 
materials are there on alarm, savingthe manure 
ol'the stock, which could be thus made into the 
food ot plants']” 
“ There are a hundred sources on every farm, 
to give occupation in the way I have spoken at 
— full occupation to a hand and team. Where 
there is a salt marsh, that ot itself y/ould afiord 
ample materials, for there are few richer or 
more fertilizing substances than marsh mud, it 
properly combined into composts with lime or 
marl — the sea-weed of the shores, if compound- 
ed with alternate layers of mould and leaves 
Iroin the woods, or soil ot any kind, the layers 
to be strewed with- plaster, will make an excel- 
lent and enriching pte— the scrapings of the 
roads, barn and other yards and head-lands, are 
all excellent to mix with the dung and litter of 
horses and cattle ; but in all such composts, 
ground plaster or pulverized charcoal should be 
mixed, layer and layer about, to prevent the es- 
cape of the lighter and more volatile paitsofthe 
substances while undergoing decomposition; 
for such parts may be said to be the most valu- 
able — the weeds from the fence corners, lanes 
and every where else, should be gathered and 
formed into compost heaps with earth ot any 
kind and plaster. In a word, there are no sub- 
stances which are susceptible of rzifiwig which 
will not make good maorare, some richer than 
ethers, but ci] gcorf. The soap suds and slops 
from the kitchen, all water in which the hands 
and face have been washed, would, if properly 
husbanded, convert a body of earth sufficient to 
fertilize twQ acres, into good manure, in a year. 
You will perceive that I have opened before you 
a wild field whence to draw your source of ma- 
nure.” 
“But woql,d the benefits justify the expense?” 
“ Of that there can be no question, and you 
should not entertain a single doubt. Say that a 
man eould obtain 330 out of the 313 M'orking 
days, 2000 loads in a year, which is allowing 8 
loads per day, that w.ould enable you to manure 
100 acres, independent of your usual supply 
from the stable, barn-yard and pigstyes, each of 
which acres would, by a moderate calculation, 
be improved in productiveness at least 33^ per 
cent. Would it not be reasonable to say that 
each load of this manure would be worth 50 
cents? This would be equal to 84 a day for the 
hire of the hand and team, so that all above the 
actual cost of their hire would be your gain. 
But your gain is not to be computed by any 
such contracted rule, as the increased value to 
be imparted to the soil, in its present and future 
condition of prodactiveness, should be taken in- 
to consideration, for every ^ loads of such ma- 
nure would be equivalent to the fertilisation of 
an acre of ground for any period in which it 
might be required for a rotation of crops, whe- 
ther that period should be four or six years, 
provided t\vo of the series be appropriated to 
grass.” 
“ Have you named all the materials which 
are convertible into manure ?” 
“ In saying that every thing, or substance, 
susceptible oi rotting may be converted into ma- 
nure, I speak in terms sufficiently broad to com- 
prehend all things, whether vegetable or animal ; 
' but as you appear to desire that I sho aid be more 
particular, 1 will name a few other articles. 
The urine of the stock of horses and cattle on a 
farm, w here twenty head may be kept, if proper 
means were taken to prevent its loss, could be 
rendered equal to the manure of an acre per 
head. The stalls of the horses should always 
be kept well strewed with stravr, or leaves, or 
m)ul-.land leaves, so as to absorb tlie Ifqujd 
voiding-;, and to prevent the escape of the am- 
munia. as the decomposition of these voidings 
might be going on, the stable should be strewed 
with either plaster or charcoal, daily, and as 
the stables may be cleaned out, which should 
be done daily, the mass of manure, litter, &c., 
should be disposed of on the manure heap, so as 
to prevent loss from evaporation. This can be 
done by having earth thrown over each day’s 
manure, as it maybe put upon the heap. Again, 
a lew loads of earth should be placed sufficient- 
ly near the liouse to receive the contents of the 
chambers, which earth should be formed into a 
basin-like form. Each emptying should be co- 
vered over with fresh earth, and on that, plaster^ 
or charcoal, be strewed. 'I'he importance of 
this kind of care-taking and economy, may- 
be very readily imagined when I tell you 
that a gallon of human urine, thus treated, 
would afford ammonia enough to nurture a 
bushel of wheat, and if the ammonia were fixed, 
as it would be by the addition of plaster, or 
charcoal, it would remain in the earth for years, 
to impart its benefits to successive crops. My 
own impression is, that if the liquid manure 
made on a farm were to be saved in ths way I 
have pointed out, that it would be worth mors 
to the farmer than all the solid manure made in 
his stable and barn-yard. And here let me re.- 
maik, that the sheds or yards in which cattle may 
be kept, when brought in from the pastures^ 
should at all times be kept covered with straw 
or mould and leaves, to prevent the loss of theif 
liquid voidings, as in the case of the horses in 
the stables, and the same care should be taken 
to occasionally strew the surface with plaster, 
or charcoal.” 
“I think I have heard you say that very stiff 
clays might be improved by the application of 
sand. How would you use the sand?” 
“I have expressed such an opinion, and I 
have done so from a practical experience of its 
benefits. I recollect some years back to have 
had jn cultivation a small lot, about one half of 
it a piece ot as cold, stiff, retentive clay as ever 
challenged the strength of team, or worried tbs 
patience of plowmen. It was so hard, and so 
retentive of water, that I had to watch the time 
for its breaking up with more than the power 
of an eagle’s eye, and taking time by the fore- 
lock, I had hauled into my cow-yard a hundred 
loads of sand, which I spread evenly, giving to 
the centre of the yard a basin-like form ; on the 
top of the sand I spread fifty loads of mould and 
leaves from the woods, taking care to spread it 
as I had done the sand, leaving the sides higher 
than the epntre. In this yard my cows were 
folded and littered through the latter part of fall, 
wfnter and spring. Just before ihe frost sat in, 
I had the lot plowed up, lapping the furrows so 
as to expose the greatest surface to the action of 
the frost. As I desired to receive a crop of mil- 
let off the lot tlie ensuing season, preparatory to 
laying it dowm in timothy, I cut three covered 
drains through it, 3 feet wide and 18 inches 
deep, on the sides I placed poles, the ends so 
squared as to fit tight, over these, for want of 
better materials I laid crosswise, pieces of inch 
plank, made to fit, placed within half an inch of 
each other. On these I pul grass sods, and then 
filled up and levelled the top of the drains. In 
the spring I scraped up and mixed the contents 
of my cow-yard, adding to the mass 200 bushels 
of coal ashes, incorporating the whole together. 
This as soon as the frost was out of the ground, 
in the spring, I spread over the lot 170 perches 
in extent, plowed it in as deep as a good w'ood 
plow and two horses could plow it; let it re- 
main until the middle of May, when I harrowed, 
cross-plowed, harrowed again, sowed half a 
bushel of millet seed, harrowed it in lightly, and 
finished by rolling. The product on the acr^ 
