THE CULTIVATOR 
94 
DR. CLOUD’S IMPROVED CULTURE OF COTTON. 
As was to be expected, and as indeed was desired, the 
papers of Dr. Cloud, lately published in the Cultivator, 
on the method practiced by him in the culture of cotton, 
by which he has grown nearly 6,000 lbs. per acre, have 
elicited much attention and discussion in the papers of 
the cotton growing region of the United States. We 
should not recur to the subject here, v/ere it not one of 
paramount interest to the conntry, and to great numbers 
of our subscribers; and were it not that the principle 
adopted by Dr. Cloud, is the one practiced at the north, 
by many in the culture of corn, and which has rendered 
crops of 100 bushels to the acre a common occurrence. 
We have been somewhat amused at the dilTerent views 
presented of the subject, by different journals at the south. 
A writer in the S. Carolina Advocate and Register of 
Agriculture, says that the statement of Dr. Cloud Will 
not be credited by 99 in 100 of the planters of that state; 
and that it will be supposed some mistake occurred in 
the weight of cotton, or measurement of land. The rea¬ 
son given for this disbelief, is, that the highest produc¬ 
tion yet reached is about 3,000 lbs. per acre; and the 
writer himself had never, vrith the best cultivation, ex- 
ceeeded 2,300 pounds per acre. At a meeting of the 
Monticello Planter’s Society, Mr. Means proposed a pre¬ 
mium of a silver cup for any member making on old 
land, after the plan of Dr. Cloud, 3,000 or more lbs. of 
cotton per acre; and Col. Davis moved an amendment 
by inserting “ any plan” instead of Dr. Cloud’s plan, sta¬ 
ting that he considered such a production in that plan 
impossible, and expressing doubts oi-mistake in the pre¬ 
mises or the conclusions. 
These opinions of cotton plantei-s would have been en¬ 
titled to more weight, certainly with us, had we not re¬ 
collected that these men were also coim as well as cot¬ 
ton growers; and that only a short time since, a planter 
in the same journal that contains these remarks on Dr. 
Cloud’s system of cotton culture, declared that neither 
Judge Duel, or any other man, ever saw 75 bushels of 
corn grown on an acre, and that any planter should be 
satisfied with a crop of 25 bushels per acre. Such as, 
sertions would seem to indicate that there are some dis.^ 
tricts, or at least some individuals, not yet attached to the 
party of progress, and still adhering with blind reverence 
to the practices of the past. 
Our friends of the Nashville Agriculturist, a capital 
paper by the way, introduce a few remarks in explana¬ 
tion of the plan of Dr. Cloud, under the caption of ‘‘ Big 
Humbug;” and close by recommending to cotton plant¬ 
ers to go on in the old fashion in the culture of that crop. 
We are much surprised to hear a paper, that in every 
thing else is an ardent and consistent friend of improve- 
. ment, urging a continuance in the “ old fashion” of cul¬ 
tivating the most important crop of the south, when it is 
admitted by all, that that fashion is one of pure skinning, 
and that the following it so long has nearly ruined the 
soil, if it has not the planters of the south. Cultivating 
large quantities of land, and raising but small crops, is a 
practice rapidly going out of fashion among good plant¬ 
ers and farmers; and tilling small quantities of land, well, 
and raising corresponding crops, is a system commend¬ 
ing itself to every friend of agricultural improvement; 
and this is precisely what Dr. Cloud inculcates. Expe¬ 
rience teaches that no matter what may be the article 
cultivated, if the crop does not reach a certain amount, 
there is a loss; if it equals that amount, the debt and cre¬ 
dit are equal, the farmer makes nothing, and loses noth¬ 
ing; while all that exceeds this amount is a clear profit 
to the cultivator. If to procure this excess of crop, the 
farmer or planter incurred great expenses for that which 
would produce no permanent benefit to the soil, he might 
still be a loser; but such is not the case where the ex¬ 
pense incurred is for manures, as this extra expense is 
amply repaid b}^ the improvement of the soil, and the 
consequent increase of the succeeding crops. The amount 
of manure proposed by Dr. Cloud, is certainly large, but 
the quantity of manure is not the question indoubt; it is 
not that which entitles the plan in the language of the 
Agriculturist, to the name of “ Big Humbug.” We re¬ 
member the time in this state, and we have a right to 
presume it was so in Kentucky and Tennessee, when 
raising 50 bushels of whea*, or 100 bushels of corn to the 
acre, ivas pronounced “ big humbugs,” or something 
worse, but now the commonness of such crops is such as 
scarcely to excite remark. 
The “ South Western Farmer,” a journal ably con¬ 
ducted by our former correspondent, M. W. Phillips, 
Esq., is almost the only one of the many southern papers 
that we have noticed, in which the plan of Dr. Cloud is 
properly appreciated, or noticed in that spirit of a true 
planter, in which it was written. Instead of condemn¬ 
ing the system proposed by Dr. Cloud, almost unread, 
and certainly untried, as some others have done, the 
Farmer advises that it be carefully read, and an experi¬ 
ment instituted to test its merits. That Mr. Phillips is 
well acquainted with the culture of cotton, his papers on 
that subject in the Cultivator, prove beyond a question; 
and if he has doubts whether the average crop can be 
brought up to Dr. Cloud’s standard, he has none whatever 
that a vast increase of crop and profit would be the result 
of its adoption as far and as fast as practicable. In cor¬ 
roboration of the possibility of the crop stated by Dr. C., 
and to show what a rich soil and more room than is usu¬ 
ally allowed will do for cotton, the Farmer adduces the 
case of Glen. Dunlap, who last season took from one stalk 
in his garden, cotton, at a rate, which at the number of 
stalks or hills allowed by Dr. C., would have given 
20,000 lbs to the acre. The Farmer justly says that if 
the acreablc product cbiild be increased to only 2,000: 
lbs., “ it would pay a great interest on the capital invest-: 
ed; instead of cultivating six or seven acres to make five 
bales, we could then make it on three, and have half of 
our cultivation as now practiced, to devote to improving 
in manures ^nd other matters.” The editors of the 
Farmer are intending to give Dr. Cloud’s system a fair 
trial the pfeSent Season, and decide accordingly; acoui-se 
certainly dictated by common sense. 
We have noticed that some writers have in effect de¬ 
precated this increase of cotton per acre, as tending to 
lovver the price of an article, the supply of which already 
appears to equal the demand. This is spoken of in a 
way which would lead one to suppose the writers were 
in favor of literally throwing away one-half the produc¬ 
tive labor df the cotton grooving states, rather than divert 
it into other channels; or as if there were no other kinds 
of cultivation to which thisTabor could be profitablj^ di¬ 
rected.' If this is so, if it is necessary to grow cotton at 
the rate of half a bale or a bale to the acre, because there 
is no other way to absorb, profitably, the capital held by 
the planter in labor, then we have only to say that there 
is something wrong somewhere, and that the sooner the 
evil is corrected, the better for the country. At the north, 
we. are in the habit of reasoning differently, and if we 
can raise on five acres the wheat and corn we used to on 
ten, Mve deem our labor reduced one-half, and five acres 
gained for other agricultural purposes; and we have no 
doubt if our southern brethren, could, by adopting Dr. 
Cloud’s method, or any other, double their average pro¬ 
duct of cotton per acre, they would find a similar benefit 
in the results. 
From present indications the best effects may be anti¬ 
cipated from the experiments and publications of Dr. 
Cloud. It has called the attention of planters to the sub¬ 
ject, and has led to those inquiries which are always the 
first step in all improvements. Planters begin to ask 
whether they cannot raise the same amount of cotton 
now pi’oduced, with less land, fewer hands, and more 
profit, by adopting a better system, and devoting the la¬ 
bor thus saved to the improvement of their farms, the 
raising of stock, and the culture of crops necessary for 
home consumption. Many have become convinced from 
the results of the past, that'unless they adopt a different 
course they cannot sustain themselves; and all will see 
that because they cannot manure 500 acres in the manner 
proposed by Dr. Cloud,, it does not follow they cannot 
treat 50 acres in that way. 
We invite our subscribers in the south to furnish us the 
results of their experience, and such suggestions in rela¬ 
tion to the improvement of the agriculture of that sec¬ 
tion of the country as the state of things demand. The 
large and fast increasing circulation of the Cultivator in 
the cotton growing states, renders this invitation pecu¬ 
liarly proper at the present time. 
HARRIS’ TREATISE ON INSECTS. 
This is the title of one of the most valuable contribu¬ 
tions yet made to the American agriculturist. It is from 
the pen of Dr. T. W. HasRRIs of Boston, and does not 
differ essentially from the Report submitted by him to 
the legislature of Massachusetts in 1841. The form and 
price of this edition, however, is such as to place it with¬ 
in the reach of almost every one, and we are confident 
every farmer will find it a most valuable acquisition. It 
describes in a more particular manner, those insects in¬ 
jurious to vegetation, and the list is truly a foi-midable 
one. There can be no doubt that the agriculture of any 
country suffers more from the insect tribes, than from all 
the other classes of animated nature combined; and all 
the bears, wolves, and foxes of the United States, pro¬ 
duce not a tithe of the damage which the farmer receives 
from the curculio, Hessian fly, or wire worm. What 
these depredators lack in strength, they make up in num¬ 
bers, voracity, and fecundity. Although constantly a- 
mong them, and annually suffering from their presence, 
but very little is clearly known respecting the habits of 
insects, by the majority of those most interested; and 
any work which makes us better acquainted with them, 
will enable us to guard against their depredations and in¬ 
crease more effectually. The publication of Koollar is 
a valuable one, but many of the insects described by 
him are as yet unknown in this counti y, and some of our 
most destructive ones do not seem to have been noticed 
by him at all. Interesting as the study of Entomology 
is, independent of economical consitlerations, the im¬ 
portance of a more general acquaintance ivit.h the sub¬ 
ject is greatly increased when the latter are taken into 
the account. In looking over the volume we find but 
one thing which much excites our regret, and that is the 
absence of figures of the principal insects or those which 
do the most injury. To the person who has not made 
Entomology a study, engraving of the principal species, 
are like maps to the studenb of geography, essential to 
his success and progress. They fix the general appear¬ 
ance more distinctly in the mind, and enable the observer 
to detect the insect required at a glance, and wdth great¬ 
er certainty. So far as regards the descriptive part. Dr. 
Harris has left little to desire; we trust that the forth¬ 
coming work of Dr. DeKay, as part of the great work on 
the Natural History of New-York, will be all that is 
needed in both departments, the descriptive and the il¬ 
lustrative. In the meantime, we recommend the volume 
of Dr. Harris as the most perfect and useful history of 
our depredating insects, that has yet appeared in this 
country. John Owen of Cambridge, Mass., publisher; 
pag^, octavo, 460; price $2,50. 
STEPHEN’S YUCATAN—agriculture. 
One of the most interesting books of the season most 
certainly is Stephens’ Incidents of Travel in A'ucatan 
As a writer of travels he is unrivaled; and the skill and 
perseverance shown in hunting up, and rescuing from 
the devouring tooth of time, the astonishing but hitherto 
unknown monuments of the pasf in Yucatan, is deserving 
all qommendation. The discoveries he has made de¬ 
monstrate that an immense population'must have existed 
in that country, at the period of the construction of these 
ruined cities, to say nothing of the advance in the arts, 
which the sculptures prove they had'made. But this is 
not the place, nor is our publication the medium for a re¬ 
view of such a work. That it will command the atten¬ 
tion of the curious and learned everywhere, there can be 
no doubt; our object is to make an extract or two, show¬ 
ing some facts connected with theaglieulture of that re¬ 
gion. 
Yucatan is a vast peninsula, nearly the whole of which, 
with the exception of a central range of hills, or sierra, 
is based on transition limestone, and remarably level and 
fertile. Geologically, it much resembles a large part of 
Kerituckjr, and like that state, abounds in limestone caves, 
deep pits, and subterranean waters. After noticing some 
of the articles cultivated for food, Mr. Stephens adds:— 
“Indian corn, however, is the great staple, and the cul¬ 
tivation of this probably differs but little now from the 
system followed by the Indians before the conquest. In 
the dry season, generally in the months of January or 
February, a place is selected in the woods, from which 
the trees are cut down and burned. In May or June, the 
corn is planted. This is done by making little holes 
with a pointed stick, putting in a few grains of corn and 
covering them over. Once in the ground, the corn is 
left to take care of itself, and if it will not grow, it is 
considered that the land is not worth having. The corn 
has a fair start with the weeds, and the)Lkeep pace ami¬ 
cably together. The hoe, plow, and harrow, are' en¬ 
tirely unknown; indeed, in general neither of the two 
last could be used on account of the stony face of the 
country; the machete is the only instrument employed.” 
This method of planting corn reminds us of the man¬ 
ner in which we, some 40 years since, saw corn planted 
by some of the pioneers of Western New-York. The 
trees were felled during the winter, and the logs and 
brush burned off in the spring. The settler who had no 
plow and needed none, took an old axe, rather blunt in 
the bit, and striking it into the ground made an opening 
in which the seed was deposited. A single cutting down 
of the ‘‘fire weeds,” if they threatened to choke the 
crop, was the extent of cultivation, and beautiful corn 
was usually the result. 
The following is the method of threshing the corn, as 
practiced on the estate of Don Simon Peon, at XJxmal. 
If primitive, we think it would be effectual. 
“ On one side of the clearing was a great pile, or 
small mountain of corn in the ear, ready to be threshed, 
and near by was the threshing machine, which certainl}^ 
could not be considered an infringement of any Yankee 
patent right. It was a rude scaffold about 18 or 20 feet 
square, made of four upright untrimmed posts for cor¬ 
ners, with poles lashed to them horisontally, three or 
four feet from the ground, and across these was a layer 
of sticks about an inch thick, side by side; the w’hole 
might havm served as a rude model of the first bedstead 
ever made. 
“ The parallel sticks served as a threshing floor, on 
which was spread a thick layer of corn. On each side 
a rude ladder of two or three rounds rested against the 
floor, and on each of these ladders stood a nearly naked 
Indian, with a long pole in his hand beating the corn. 
The grains fell through, and at each corner under the 
floor, was a man with a brush made of bushes, sweeping 
off the cobs. The shelled corn was afterwards taken up 
in baskets and carried to the hacienda.” 
The rapidity with which vegetation progresses in those 
tropical regions is most astonishing. The fact that vast 
trees were growing on the mounds and ruins of Gaute- 
mala and Yucatan, has been adduced as proof of the ne¬ 
cessary antiquity of these ruins; but those who so argue, 
seem to lose sight of another fact, which is, that in a tro¬ 
pical clime a tree will in a few years attain a size for 
which centuries would be requisite in a less genial one. 
We think those who have carried back the age of the 
Baobab, (Adansonia,) found on the coast of Africa, to 
some centuries before the era of the deluge, have fallen 
into this mistake. At page 286, vol. 1st, Mr. Slepher,.s 
has given an engraving of a Seybo tree, which at five 
feet from the ground was 17-’ feet in circumference, and 
yet it was only 23 years old. Indeed, one of the most 
efficient agents in destroying those wonderful structures 
of Central America, is to be found in its luxuriant vege¬ 
tation. Trees take root on all the deserted w-alls and 
terraces. Their roots penetrate their crevices, and this 
seemingly unimportant power is soon irresistible. Fres¬ 
coes crumble, pavements and staircases upheave, and 
walls and cornices tumble before the force of this silent 
but resistless enemy, tropical vegetation. It is much to 
be regretted that a vast mass of the most curious sculp¬ 
tures,^carvings, &c. found, by Mr. Stephens, and with 
much trouble and expense transported to New-York, 
should, so soon after their arrival have been destroyed 
by fire. 
“ A correspondent of the Southern Planter recommends 
sowing broom corn thick on ground moderately rich. Cut 
when three to five feet high, it makes excellent hay- 
more in quantity than Indian corn.” 
