22 
SOUTHERN PRODUCTS.—INVERSION OF THE WOMB, OR CASTING OF THE WITRE^. 
treme end, which lengthens the main root as the 
old leaves fall off. The main root is attached 
firmly to the ground by small fibrous roots grow¬ 
ing out, and directly down from the lower side of 
the main root. 
This root can be dug up and ground cheaper 
than oak bark, besides the clearing of the land 
which is an important consideration, as taking 
up these roots has heretofore been considered the 
most expensive part of our clearing. All now 
sell our hides to the northern patent tanners and 
shoemakers , who instead of tanning, rot the hides, 
so as to make them soft, and then glue or paste, 
instead of sewing the shoes together, and then 
ship back and sell us what they call cheap shoes 
and boots ! I wore out four pairs of these boots 
last year, and was barefoot above half my time at 
that. But hereafter we will tan our own hides 
with our palmetto root, and make our own shoes, 
one pair of which will outwear three of the patent 
steam-rotting machines. Thus you see there is a 
strong inducement for industrious, honest, and en¬ 
terprising tanners and shoemakers to locate in 
this poor country, where they will not have to 
thaw their oil and wax by a fire, before they can 
put it on the leather and thread in winter; and you 
may depend upon it, the time is now at hand, 
when the people of the south will give great 
preference to articles manufactured in their own 
climate. This feeling has been brought about by 
the ignorance and fanaticism of some, and the bad 
faith of manufacturers; and unless the people of 
the north put a stop to these evils, they will be 
compelled to remove south if they wish to manu¬ 
facture for the people of this country. 
Upland Rice. —The upland rice yields a fine crop 
on our poor sandy ridges, and will not grow on wet 
lands. It differs very little in appearance from the 
lowland rice. It is generally planted in drills about 
eighteen inches apart, about the 1st of April, and 
worked with both plough and hoe to keep out 
weeds and grass. After the rice matures it is cut 
It grows up from the root, and yields a good crop 
of hay the same season, and often springs up from 
the root the next spring. Another method, said 
by some to be better, is to sow broad cast, and 
harrow in, then cover the ground two inches thick 
with old rice straw, which keeps down the grass 
and weeds, and nourishes the growing crop. The 
upland rice will yield here about 1,000 pounds of 
clear rice per acre. Irrigation has nowhere been 
practised in this country, although it could be done 
with a trifling expense in many places, and I 
hope soon to see it fairly tried. 
Our population is yet very sparse, and the forest 
and sea yield us a bountiful support without much 
work; here we do not feel the necessity of im¬ 
proving our resources. But a spirit of emulation 
in agricultural matters is manifesting itself, and 
we may reasonably hope soon to see a happy 
change here for the better. Seven copies of 
your paper are now taken in this neighborhood, 
and about as many more from various other places. 
A twelvemonth ago, there had never been an 
agricultural paper of any kind taken or read 
here. Our country at present is settled with a 
quiet, happy, and contented people, and a little 
more industry and intelligence would give us an 
enviable stand. All we want is a little more 
stimulus, which a few good, industrious, intelli¬ 
gent farmers emigrating among us would give, 
if our disease (idleness) did not prove most conta¬ 
gious, and seize on them before their habits of in¬ 
dustry would on us. 
I have not yet succeeded in getting the herba 
spagna grass seed from Italy. I yesterday con¬ 
versed with a gentleman from Italy, who did 
not know this grass by that name, but thinks it 
the same as a grass called sudda (pronounced 
sooda) in the island of Sicily: he is also of 
opinion it will succeed well here. I tried last fall 
what is called bird corn here ; I find I can make 
a large quantity of fodder by cultivating it— 
say three tons per acre each cutting, and it yields 
three crops a year. This, with the pea, sweet po¬ 
tato, and pindar vines, with crop grass, which 
grows very finely, we most rely on at present for 
hay. I see Dr. M. W. Philips thinks the grass I 
brought from Cuba, the same as the Bermuda 
grass of Louisiana: it may be so, but I doubt it, 
although I think it of the same family. The Dr. 
I think is mistaken about its having seed; it has 
a tassel with the appearance of seed, but I have 
never been able to grow it from the seed, and have 
tried it faithfully. It matters not, however, what 
is its proper name; it has proved a most valuable 
grass for southern latitudes, and all I desire is that 
every one may reap as much benefit from it as 
possible. Many good judges think it superior as 
a pasture grass to the Bermuda of Louisiana: I 
am not able to give an opinion on that subject 
myself. 
Cure for the Piles. —Carrying the common buck¬ 
eye in the pantaloons’ pocket, will cure the piles 
or any other inflammation about the anus. I can 
not give a reason for it, but it is nevertheless cer¬ 
tain—try it. 
Cure for the Cataract in the Eye. —The root of 
the weed commonly called the devil's shoestring , 
soaked in water and used as a wash, will cut the 
film (called cataract) off the eyes of man or beast, 
more effectually than the surgeon’s knife, without 
pain, risk, or apprehension. 
Very respectfully yours, 
John J. McCaughan. 
For the American Agriculturist. 
INVERSION OF THE WOMB, OR CASTING OF 
THE WITHERS. 
Mr. A. B. Allen: It is an old saying, that 
“ accidents will happen in the best-regulated 
familiesand as it is important for every farmer 
to know how to repair the damages to which he 
is liable, I send you an account of an accident 
which occurred in my experience last month, and 
the remedy which was successfully applied. 
One of my Short-horn cows dropped a calf 
one afternoon during my absence from home, and 
on the subsequent morning, was found lying in 
great distress with her withers down (as the 
term is with us), which I presume is the inver¬ 
sion of the womb, in consequence of the straining 
of the animal to rid herself of the placenta. 
