118 
VALUABLE BREED OF FOWLS. 
in the fall, or early in the winter. This will 
form a line preparation for the ensuing crop of 
corn, and such an abundance of seed will be 
covered under, that the succeeding crop or rye 
will be sufficiently set with clover, without sow¬ 
ing clover seed the following spring. Thus the 
expense and labor of sowing this invaluable 
grass need not be incurred, except at the com¬ 
mencement of the rotation in each field. Pre¬ 
paratory to the sowing of the rye crop, the corn 
should be well cultivated, and not a weed suf¬ 
fered to ripen, as thereby the soil would be un¬ 
necessarily exhausted, and the ground not in so 
good a state, for the succeeding crop of rye, and 
clover. When it is recollected that vegetables 
of all kinds, exhaust much more when ripening 
their seeds than at any previous time, the impor¬ 
tance of attending to this recommendation will 
be evident. The corn should not only be kept 
clean, but plowed deep, this being very neces¬ 
sary to prepare it for the coming crop of rye 
and clover, especially the latter, which has a 
long tap root, and requires a deep permeable 
soil, as thereby it will be enabled to draw much 
of its nutriment from the subsoil. 
Prospect Hill , Ky., Jan. 1850. A. Beatty. 
VALUABLE BREED OF FOWLS. 
Understanding that you are going to dish us 
up with some sketches and samples of poultry, 
I offer an account of a kind which is common in 
our neighborhood. Where they came from, I 
do not recollect; but, considering this of second¬ 
ary importance, admitting them to be exotics, 
I will proceed to describe them. 
They are known here by the name of “ Italy 
Fowls,” and in appearance, differ mainly from 
others by their large combs, which, in some of 
the males, are from 1£ to 2 inches broad, double, 
and covering the entire crown of the head. 
They are about medium size, of a color varying 
from mottled-grey to a light-dun. In some 
males, however, the predominating color is red. 
The full bloods have rather blue legs and skins, 
which, in my opinion, is their only fault. But 
they mix freely with other breeds, and, with little 
care, they can be had with bright-yellow legs 
and skins. The texture of their flesh is fine and 
well-flavored, and they come to perfection ear¬ 
lier than any other kind I have ever had. I 
have five or six breeds of fowls, but these much 
outdo the Polands in appearance, and are 
equal, if not superior, in laying qualities. They 
also appear to be both hardy and healthy. 
I see by footing up my store book from April 
last to December 1st., that from forty hens in 
three different locations, yet contiguous, I have 
sold 2,940 eggs, besides using freely for cooking 
in my family, &c. Two thirds of the time, the 
hens were not fed, but unrestrained as to roving, 
having the use of the barn and range of the 
farm. I also sold last fall, $7 worth of males 
for killing, which grieved me to see so many 
beautiful birds cooped up at once; for had they 
been scattered among farmers, they would have 
done an immense deal of good. 
Samuel Y. Clark. 
Westfield, Essex Co., N. J., Jan., 1850. 
MR. ROBINSON’S TOUR.—No. 16. 
Georgia Farming .—Augusta is one of the 
most flourishing towns in the south. It con¬ 
tains 8,000 or 9,000 inhabitants, and is situated 
at the head of steam navigation on the Savan¬ 
nah River; built upon a broad plain of rich 
alluvial soil, and is a place of a large trade. 
Two of the principal streets are about two miles 
long, and each one 160 feet wide. It is also the 
terminus of the Georgia Railroad, which already 
extends into Tennessee. The city is now en¬ 
gaged in a stupendous work nearly completed, 
by which the best water power in the Union is 
provided. This is done by tapping the Savan¬ 
nah, seven or eight miles above the city, with a 
navigable canal, which is brought down just to 
the edge of the town, and then the water drops 
from the first to the second level, 13 feet, and 
then is carried about a mile along a natural 
ridge, from which it is taken by short cuts, ' 
with 13 feet more fall to the third level, that 
carries the water through another canal into a 
natural hollow, and back into the river above 
the city. The work is done at the expense of 
the city corporation, which will receive a rev¬ 
enue for water rents. The navigation of the 
canal is made free, as by that thousands of bales 
of cotton come to Augusta market. There is 
now in operation one beautiful cotton factory of 
9,000 spindles, and another of the same sized 
building. There are two excellent merchant 
flouring mills in operation, and a sawmill and 
some other works, and a large machine shop 
nearly ready; and there is ample room and 
water for a hundred or two more. Good mate¬ 
rials for brick abound upon the spot, and coal, 
iron, lime, and granite up the railroad; and 
then the location being healthy, why should it 
not become a great manufacturing town ? There 
is also a railroad 136 miles, to Charleston, which 
makes Augusta within five days of New York. 
But the best of all, is the fact that the town 
has a population equal in point of character to 
any other, north or south; and is surrounded 
with some of the best and most enterprising 
farmers in Georgia. Among others, I may be 
permitted to mention Messrs. Eve, Delaigle, 
Coleman, Miller, and Moore. The first is one of 
the most enterprising and thorough-going sort; 
as is most apparent in his work as contractor 
upon the water works and canals; while at the 
same time, without the assistance of an overseer, 
he has carried on his large plantation, three 
miles below town, having made about 20,000 
bushels of corn last year, besides a large quan¬ 
tity of other things for sale, with 30 hands, 28 
of whom were females. This he has done from 
a thorough knowledg of the value and art of 
making manure. 
The average yield of corn here, one year with 
another, is about 25 bushels to the acre—oats 
the same, though he has made 80 bushels. Mr. 
Delaigle told me that he had frequently made 
300 bushels of sweet potatoes to the acre. 
His premises are well worth visiting, both by 
northern and southern farmers. The first would 
see how a southern farmer, born upon the spot, 
can make and use manure, and see yards, sta- 
