296 
IMPROVEMENT OF DOMESTIC STOCK. 
The implements at Log Hall embrace a great 
number and variety of choice articles. Under one 
shed we saw twenty-seven plows and cultivators, 
most of which were of peculiar beauty and value. 
Among the implements we saw also a cob-crusher, 
a corn-sheller, a thrashing-machine, &c., &c. 
The buildings, also, are worthy of the man. 
The house itself, which is not yet completed, is 
admirably arranged for comfort and convenience; 
is well ventilated, and planned and constructed in 
good teste. The gin-house, and, indeed, nearly 
all the structures about the place, have been evi¬ 
dently put up with a view to permanent utility, 
rather than for cheapness—no make-shift expedi¬ 
ents, but abiding conveniences. 
The land is of good quality, rather richer than 
the average of lands in Hinds, and lies very hand¬ 
somely, sloping down to the Chittoo-Loosa (Big 
Black) river. On the upland part, we examined 
the experiment which the Doctor has been making 
with manuring cotton. The difference is not only 
manifest, but really astonishing. Manured cotton 
and unmanured cotton were growing side by side, 
and the difference was about the same as that be¬ 
tween the cotton on the Mississippi bottoms, and 
that on ordinary thin uplands. 
Seeing a pile of manuscript books on the Doc¬ 
tor’s desk, on our return to the house, we must 
needs pry into them. Here was a “ Stock Book,” 
giving the history and pedigree of each animal on 
the place, with the date of all the operations in 
that department, it being, to the barn-yard and 
piggery, a minute “ Family Record of births, mar¬ 
riages, and deaths.” Then there was the “ Farm 
Book,” a kind of daily journal of all the work done. 
In another book was a list of all the field hands, 
and opposite to every day (except Sunday) a state¬ 
ment of the pick of each hand—and that running 
back for many years. The hands are a happy 
looking set, showing, by their fat and eheerful ap¬ 
pearance, that they know what good living and 
plenty of it means. 
After all this, we need hardly say that Dr. P. is 
a man of untiring energy. Happily, he has a help 
meet who is herself “ magna pars,” in regard to 
the order, the neatness, the good taste, and the 
general economy that prevail. A great part of the 
time at the hall is devoted to literary pastime; for, 
where system is adopted, labor does not encroach 
upon the hours for recreation, nor recreation upon 
those of labor. Each duty has its appropriate sea¬ 
son ; and at that season the duty is done. Hence, 
notwithstanding his excessive labors, (for he em¬ 
ploys no overseer,) notwithstanding the great at¬ 
tention he gives to reading and to his domestic en¬ 
joyments, yet still he manages to find time to 
write more, we venture to say, than any farmer in 
the state. 
Water-Rotting Hemp.— In our first volume, 
page 209, we spoke of the intention of Mr. Savage 
of Kentucky, to try the experiment of water-rot¬ 
ting hemp in a flat-boat moored in the Ohio river, 
by boring holes in the bottom and sinking it nearly 
to a level with the top of the boat. We see in 
the Kentucky Commonwealth, that Mr. Sandford 
Connelly of Union county, has succeeded well in 
rotting hemp by adopting this system, and he rec¬ 
ommends it to others. He found that hemp wa¬ 
ter-rotted in the spring, after lying in stack all 
winter, made a stronger and handsomer sample 
than that rotted in the fall. 
IMPROVEMENT OF DOMESTIC STOCK. 
As the Cultivator continues knowingly to misrep¬ 
resent our differences of opinion upon this subject, 
we here restate them in a single sentence for the 
last time, referring the reader to the full quotations 
which we have given in several of our late Nos., 
to substantiate us in every word we utter. 
The Cultivator asserts, that animals possessing 
20 good points, can be improved by crossing them 
with others possessing only 5. This we deny in 
toto; and say that by taking such a cross, one 
must expect to get the bad with the good, and 
not calculate as a general rule, that the produce 
would possess over 10 or 12 good points, and more 
probably not exceed 8 or 9; and we can appeal 
confidently to every experienced breeder to sub¬ 
stantiate this opinion. We made no reference 
whatever to the Cultivator’s remarks about cros¬ 
sing upward with superior bulls, for all this was 
but the echo of what any school-boy might have 
written, and what has been repeated a thousand 
timesin articles already published onstock breeding. 
That, the Cultivator had learned from its horn¬ 
book; but the “ five points ” improving principle 
was original ; and as this recommendation, if fol¬ 
lowed up, would infallibly destroy every well-bred 
animal in the country in a single generation , and 
with them millions of dollars invested in fine 
stock, and the painful labors of years, we deter¬ 
mined to speak out at once strongly and boldly. 
What we said was felt in the right quarter, and 
we had predetermined it should be. We will 
venture to add that the country will not be pester¬ 
ed with any more such mischievous nonsense very 
soon, and that the attempted improvements by 
every conceited jackanapes, who happens to have 
jumbled two ideas together on this subject, will 
now pause for a while. As far as we can learn, 
there has not been a single dissenting voice to our 
opinion, and not one that has not condemned the 
course recommended by the Cultivator. We must 
confess that we do not feel under any particular 
obligations for the advice tendered us by a few of 
what we think over good-natured friends. Little 
matters we invariably let go, for we doubtless err 
often enough in these ourselves, and are therefore 
willing to be both lenient and charitable toothers; 
