156 
GUANO ANB ITS USES. 
ter. Stock are fond of it, and it is a certain seed 
bearer. Experiments are yet limited in it, and I am 
not prepared to make up a definite opinion of its me¬ 
rits. One of the principal reliances for pasture is the 
crab grass, common to all the cultivated land. It will 
do to graze the last of May, and continues good till 
ffost, and is not so much affected by drought as the 
other grasses. 
Stock. —As to domestic animals, we have a share 
of all the improved blood of the Union. In the horse 
line, North Alabama has for a number of years held 
a conspicuous place, and has some of the best breed¬ 
ing studs of turf horses in the Southwest. Messrs. 
Jackson and Kirkman, of Florence, have taken the 
lead at all the southern tracts, New Orleans not ex¬ 
cepted. We keep but few cattle, as beef is not much 
used. We have some good Du rhams—a few im¬ 
ported direct from England We have a few of most 
of the varieties of sheep, but they are not managed 
with any care ; they are kept for domestic use. No 
effort to grow wool for market yet, but there is some 
talk on that subject. I prefer a cross between the 
Merino and long wool (Bake well or Cots wold) for 
general use; some are in favor of Southdown—I am 
in favor of their hardy compact form, but opposed to 
their harsh fleece. 
Fruit.— As to fruits, we have some of most varie¬ 
ties, but I cannot speak definitely of any, save 
peaches. It is a splendid soil for them. Cherries 
have done well. Plums very well, except the large 
blue kinds. Apples are not numerous; but I think 
most kinds will do well except in very dry summers; 
they will then sun-burn , and fall off before mature. 
Pears are very scarce, and I doubt their success, ex¬ 
cept a few of the early kinds; they seem to be uncer¬ 
tain bearers in this climate. We have not given that 
attention to fruits and vegetables that we should have 
done. We have been tied down to cotton, a crop 
that occupies us the entire year. But this must be 
stopped. We are over-producing, and have now stock¬ 
ed the world with cotton, and are our own destroyers. 
The number of acres must be cut short till we reduce 
the average crop to 1,800,000 bales. Some change 
must take place or the South is bankrupt. 
A Cotton Convention, —I would suggest the idea 
of holding cotton-planter’s conventions at the three 
great southern seaports, New Orleans, Mobile, and 
Charleston, early next fall. Let every cotton-grow¬ 
ing county send its delegates, and if the three conven¬ 
tions did not agree in their separate capacities about 
the amount that must be cut off from every man’s crop, 
let these conventions appoint delegates to a central 
convention at Tuscaloosa, there to determine on the 
proportion to be cut short. This to be binding on all 
the cotton-growing regions. But let each of the three 
conventions adopt their own rules and regulations to 
c.a'ry this into effect. I would suggest one- third as a 
proper quantity to cut off*, and that each county have 
its surveyors to inspect every farm in the county, and 
if any planter violated the rule, to burn all the cotton 
produced by such violation. The benefits resulting 
from this plan would be these. With two-thirds of 
the force, land, team, &c., now employed in growing 
cotton, every planter of cotton would pocket from one- 
third to one-half more money yearly, and would have 
one-third of his force to improve his land, grow pro¬ 
visions, or employ it in any other branch of industry 
he might think proper. There is not a sane cotton-1 
planter in the South that will deny the truth of this 
position ; if all acknowledge its benefits we certainly 
can carry it into effect. Nothing is wanting but ac¬ 
tion. Shall it be said that we are asleep and will 
not pursue our own interest ? Not only our interest, 
but our salvation as planters ! If the fact was known, 
that there had been but 1,800,000 bales produced the 
past season, cotton would be worth eight cents before 
the sun could set upon the news. Let Us then have 
a certainty and no mistake, that there will be but 
1,800,000, produced next year; then we can get a 
fair compensation for our labor, and not till then. 
1 may recur to this subject again. I wish to give the 
ball a push. G. L. Cockrill. 
Tuscumbia, Ala., Jan. 29, 1845. 
We admire the spirit of our correspondent in re¬ 
gard to his proposed convention, and hope that it may 
be carried into effect. Raising less cotton and more 
of other products, is what we have contended for, ever 
since we started this journal. If the South did this, 
its people would grow rich in defiance of the whole 
world. The manufactures of Massachusetts alone 
are of more value than the whole cotton crop of the 
South. What would become of this very wealthy, 
intelligent, and highly independent little state, if she 
abandoned these, and devoted herself exclusively to 
corn and grass, her greatest agricultural products’ 
Poverty , ignorance and dependence , would be the 
necessary result, without the shadow of doubt. 
GUANO ANlT ITS USES. 
Exhaustion of Lands. —I am much surprised at 
the opposition and the numerous objections constantly 
brought forward against the use of guano, most of 
them unfounded—many perfectly absurd ; for if large 
quantities could be brought here, one general benefit 
must accrue to the farmers, even to those who could 
not use it; viz., a decrease in the price of the ma¬ 
nure, which is sold in large quantities in the vicinity 
of all populous cities. One of the chief of these 
objections is, that it will exhaust the soil; however, 
before I show conclusively that this cannot be the 
case, permit me to discuss this question of “ exhaus¬ 
tion,” on which our farmers have often very wron£ 
impressions. Much practical good may be learned on 
this subject from the gardeners who grow vegetables 
for the markets ; they never have an idea of exhaust¬ 
ing the soil, and many obtain three and even four 
crops from the same piece of land every year. 
1 am well aware that under the existing ideas ot 
rotation of crops, &c., it is expected that after two, 
years’ manuring and cropping, virtue enough should 
be left in the soil to bear a good result of grass the 
third year without manure ; but it would certainly 
be better to get off three luxuriant crops successively. 
I should wish to exhaust my land completely every 
year; to take off’ everything the manure put on will 
allow, leaving none of it to be washed away, and 
be useless by the winter flood and draining. I would 
not only take away all the manure put on in the 
shape of crops, but all that this manure would ena¬ 
ble me to take in addition from soil and atmosphere; 
and by proper management, I do not doubt that this 
may be done with grass. An analysis will soon 
show what is requisite to be added after each so call- 
I ed exhaustion. 
I Application of Guano to Corn.— Take a sandy 
