CUTTING} ROOTS.-AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA, 
twelve inches; but the heavier the soil and the 
more retentive the subsoil, the deeper would I plow. 
I particularize on this fact, because I have years of 
my own experience to support me, and because I 
have old-established farmers all around me who are 
very much prejudiced against deep plowing. Its 
advantages, in a few words, are a deep soil for 
roots to penetrate for nourishment, and that the sur¬ 
plus water may pass through more rapidly. But a 
very safe criterion is a comparison between an or¬ 
dinary farm and one where deep plowing and good 
cultivation is constantly practised; then mark the 
difference in the yield, aside from the general ap¬ 
pearance of the farm. I always want those who 
are opposed to deep plowing, to account for the 
enormous yield of vegetables and growth of trees 
in a garden where the soil has been trenched and 
manured to the depth of eighteen inches or two feet. 
As to the depth, I would never plow in any soil 
were it possible, less than twelve inches, and in 
some soils much deeper. It is true, I often expose 
a poor subsoil in my practice, but to this I apply a 
double portion of manure. As I am of the opinion 
that manure for land is like oats for a horse, it is 
the best medicine you can give, and as the oats are 
applied inwardly, so I plow in my manure ; and as 
it seems to me the surest way of securing its bene¬ 
fits, or of “ fixing the ammonia,” as the fashion¬ 
ables will have it. I have seen farmers scatter loads 
and loads of coarse yard manure upon the surface 
of the ground, which practice I consider wasteful in 
the extreme, as almost every particle of any use is 
lost, as it is the roots we wish to supply with 
warmth and food, and not the air. I believe, how¬ 
ever, we have yet much to learn in the application 
of manures. Now, as to the economy of my prac¬ 
tice, I will add that I am perfectly satisfied, and 
will give one proof in dollars and cents ; as Eng¬ 
lish writers say that is the universal way of defin¬ 
ing American problems. My crop of hay this dry 
?eason I calculated paid the interest of $5 per acre, 
while along side of it, is land that scarcely yields 
enough to pay for fencing. 
One more word as to manure. I am no chemist 
or scientific farmer, yet I believe in manure, and 
make it my constant practice to apply to the land 
every substance in the shape of manure, except 
such decidedly acid substances as new tan, pomace, 
and the like. The higher portion of my ground I 
have converted into a nursery, and have now upon 
it a most beautiful, healthy, and thrifty growth of 
fruit trees; and as I have now come to the tree part, 
my favorite hobby, I may at some future time, if 
agreeable, give you a few practical hints on the 
successful cultivation of fruit trees. As I have 
been myself remarkably successful, I could wish 
that others might enjoy as much. W. D. 
Morristown, Morris Co., N.J., Nov. 27, 1845. 
Cutting Hoots. —Happening in your store the 
other day, in your absence, I was shown quite a 
variety of machines for cutting roots. I have no 
doubt they will do their work well and cut with 
great rapidity; yet after all I question whether they 
are a labor-saving machine to the small farmer. I 
can, in fifteen minutes, cutup on the frozen ground, 
or on my barn floor, with a strong hay knife or 
sharp spade, as many ruta-bagas or beets as ten head I 
of cattle ought to eat at a meal. Common turnips 
and potatoes are so small they may require a ma¬ 
chine, and perhaps when these are much fed, it will 
be economy to purchase one. Jas. Winthrop. 
Harlem, Dec. 13, 1845. 
AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA. 
As the year 1845 is now coming to a close, I feel 
it due to the different Agricultural Works, which I 
take, that I give through their columns, sonw ac¬ 
count of the operations on my farm. I say some 
account, for it is impossible for me to give in one 
sheet anything like a full account, as I find myself 
at this time, at page 188 of what I term my farming 
memorandum book, or diary kept of all the operations 
done on my farm. Although I have kept a similar 
book for near twenty years, I have never attempted 
to give at the close of the year my system of farm¬ 
ing; but believing that if the cultivators of the soil 
throughout the United States, would thus compare 
notes once a year, it would have the effect of greatly 
encouraging each other in improving their system. 
I speak from experience, having been stimulated to 
renewed exertion often by reading from the pages 
of the different papers and periodicals devoted to 
agriculture, the many accounts of the success of the 
farmer. Now, I cannot give my brother farmers a 
very flattering account; having settled a new country, 
every furrow I have plowed has been among trees 
and stumps. I will now, however, give it as it is. 
It is my custom to commence each year on the 
1st of January. The profits of the farm vary greatly 
with the seasons, as every farmer knows. We 
cleared in 1844, upwards of 16 per cent, on the cap¬ 
ital invested in agriculture. In 1845, as will be 
seen, there will be a considerable falling off from 
the previous year. This is attributed to two 
causes: first, I planted much less cotton; secondly, 
I suffered greatly from the severe drought that has 
cut short my cotton crop one-third. 
The first item of capital employed in agriculture 
is my farm, 1st of January, 1845, at $8,550. There 
is in cultivation on this farm of poor pine land, or 
sandy soil, 267 acres. 
The present year, the following is the arrange¬ 
ment of the land : 
In Corn,.120 acres. 
41 Cotton,.80 “ 
u Oats,. 60 “ 
“ Sweet Potatoes,.. • ♦ 3 “ 
“ Upland Rice,. 2 iC 
“ Garden,.. 2 “ 
267 
The following notes of the time of planting the 
crop and the seasons, I copy from my book. At 
page 44, I find we commenced planting corn on the 
26th of February. The land planted in corn quite 
broken. Planted in drills on the horizontal system ; 
the rows six feet wide, the corn two feet apart in 
the rows : peas planted in the middle of the rows. 
At page 64, I find it turned quite eold, the com 
planted on the 26th February, bitten down. On 
page 75, I find we commenced planting cotton on 
the 31st of March. The land planted in cotton is 
level; about half of it manured with compos* 
manure, prepared by hauling into a lot where my 
| cattle are penned, equal parts of the penned straw 
