PROGRESS AND IMPROVEMENT 
[SINCLE NO. TEN CENTS 
ESTABLISHED IN 1850. 
A LITTLE BETTEE TILLAGE 
LETTER FROM MISSISSIPPI 
ABOUT NORTHERN FARMERS OOlNQ SOUTH, 
Farmers in general expect a yield of crops 
more in proportion to the surface of land occu¬ 
pied than to the depth of the soil 'whereon they 
grow. Yet it is obvious that if one should scat¬ 
ter seed over an acre of rock it would perish ; 
if over the rock there was a layer of 6oil two 
or three inches in depth, the seed might repro¬ 
duce itself; add as much more 6oil and an ordi¬ 
nary yield might result; and again, if this depth 
should be doubled, and made available to the 
plant, who doubts that proportionately larger 
profits would be derived ? Suppose this layer 
of soil contained plant food plentifully, but was 
of a consistent, impervious nature, so that the 
tender roots could not penetrate it and make 
use of its fertility, it would then require loosen¬ 
ing, pulverizing, aerating, in short, thorough 
cultivation, and according to the depth and 
thoroughness of that cultivation would he the 
amount of plant food made available, and con¬ 
sequently the yield of the crop. 
This is practically the condition of most of 
our land; it contains plant food enough to 
double the average yield of crops, If It were 
only made available to them, but the unworked 
sub-soil is like rock, confiDiDg the roots of 
plants to the comparatively thin arable surface 
soil. Instead of coveting your neighbor’s lands, 
more 
AN ORIGINAL WEEKLY 
AGRICULTURAL, LITERARY AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER 
Marion, Lauderdale Co., MIbb. 
Solicited by a Freedman to read for him the 
address of Hon. Wm. D. Kellet, delivered at 
Philadelphia after his return from his Southern 
tour, I cannot refrain from adding my testimony 
in confirmation of his assertions. Indebted to 
the military service of the Union army for op¬ 
portunity of several years’ sojourn in the “ Sun¬ 
ny South,” I so far realized the imaginings of 
my boyhood’s fancy that I determined to make 
it my future home. A two years’ residence as 
citizen and fanner in this genial clime, solitary 
and alone among my former mortal enemies, has 
certainly given good chance for observation and 
experience, and the longer I remain the more 
often do I think: How is it possible so many 
farmers, particularly ot the Eastern States, can 
remain in those sterile regions, when such vust 
fields, so rich iu Nature’s bounty, stand invit¬ 
ingly open before them ? Did they but know the 
need there is for them, the certain remmneratiou 
that would reward their privation, it appears to 
me there would be an emigration such as has 
never been witnessed on this Continent. 
THE PEOPLE. 
I came among them as a discharged Federal 
soldier. I have been known as a firm Republi¬ 
can, (or as is more familiarly termed, Radical;) I 
have witnessed all the storms of passion, when, 
from the encouragement of the Presidential in¬ 
cumbent and his friends the 8outh was receiving 
aid and comfort, and seceselon blazing up with 
fearful vigor,— my ears assailed with vitupera¬ 
tion against our Legislators that mude my blood 
tingle,—yet in all thus I have never been sub¬ 
jected to Insult or personal indignity. In all my 
intercourse I have been treated with as much 
courtesy, and found men us honorable, as was 
ever my experience in Indiana, (my native 
State.) My family have been accorded as many 
acta of kindness, and onr neighbors are as gen- 
CONDUCTED BY D. D. T. MOORE, 
With an Able Corps of Assistants and Contributors 
Hon. HENRY 8. RANDALL, LL. P., Editor of the De¬ 
partment of Sheep Husbandry. 
Hon. T. C. PETERS, late President N. Y. State Ag’I 
Society, Southern Corresponding Editor. 
GLEZEN F. WILCOX, Associate Editor. 
Tirs Rural Nkw-Torkbb Is designed to be unsur¬ 
passed in Value, Purity, and Variety of Contents. Its 
Conductor earnestly labors to render the Rural a Reli¬ 
able Guide on all the Important Practical, Scientific and 
•tber Subjects connected with the business of those 
whose Interests It zentonsly advocates. As a Family 
Journal Ills emlneatly Instructive and Entertaining — 
being so conducted that It can be safely taken to the 
Homes of people of Intelligence, taste and discrimination. 
It embraces more Agricultural, Horticultural,Scientific, 
Edncattonal, Literary and News Matter, interspersed 
with appropriate engravings, than any other Journal,— 
rendering it by far the most complete Agricultural, 
Litbbaet and Family Newspai-kr in America. 
OT For Terms and other particulars see last page, 
Our engraving shows a method of connecting 
the check and driving reins on single horses 
which secures to the driver some important ad¬ 
vantages. At A the check rein Is attached to 
the usual fastening on the saddle of the harness 
and immediately in front of this it is looped 
firmly together. At thlB point reins a, vide, 
one passing on each side of the horse’s neck, 
through the small light pulleys, B and C, and 
back through the martingale rings, D, and the 
terrets, to the driver. This contrivance enables 
the driver to exert great power on the bit, and 
to control, to a great extent, the position of the 
horse’s head. The animal can also lower his 
head to drink without necessitating the driver’s 
descent from his seat to loosen the check rein. 
TUw contrivance cun be readily attached to any 
harness with trifling expense, and is worthy 
attention from those who drive hard-mouthed 
and unreliable horses. 
and putting forth great efforts to secure 
surface, is it not more profitable to cultivate 
deeper that which yon already possess, and 
double its productiveness ? With most of our 
farm crops the amount of roots determines the 
quantity of products, and roots will develop 
SHALL STOCK BE SOLD OR FATTENED? 
abundantly wherever there is room and food for 
them, but they cannot push their way into 
stony lumps, nor live in hardpan layers where 
there is no air. 
On many farms under-draining lies at the 
foundation of improved culture. The stagnant 
water must puss ofl or air will not enter the 
soil, nor the latter remain loose any length of 
time after being 6tirred. Then comes a lair 
depth of surface plowing, followed by sub-soil¬ 
ing to any practicable depth. This way of pre¬ 
paring stubble ground for spring grain is 
excellent. Before sowing, cultivate deen across 
rest on sand, which crops out on the surface at 
frequent intervals ; in such instances carting 
may often be resorted to with profit. Some 
may also rest on clay in the same position. 
Every owner of a farm should be thoroughly 
acquainted with the nature of the sub-soil, and 
understand whether it would he a benefit or 
not to throw it to the surface. In many in¬ 
stances deep trench ploughing would immedi¬ 
ately double the productive power of the land, 
and in others by far the best course would be 
sub-soiling. 
We mentioned as worthy of early study by 
the young farmer, Johnston’s Agricultural 
Chemistry, Bousslnguuit’s Rural Economy, Lie¬ 
big’s Natural Laws of Husbandry, and French 
on Drainage. We did not know that Johnston 
was an “ understrapper of some lord or duke.” 
Had we been possessed of this information, we 
should have hesitated to offend the democratic 
lord of the American soil by proposing so low 
an instructor. It has always been represented 
that he was a Professor of Chemistry in the 
University of Durham, that he supervised many 
experiments in Agriculture —that he delivered 
his Lectures upon Agricultural Chemistry before 
a body of practical farmers, who had no previ¬ 
ous instruction in Chemistry, and without the 
use ol technical scientific terms made them 
comprehend the subject, and was read with pro- 
iound attention by the most enlightened prac¬ 
tical agriculturists in England. Indeed, the 
members of our State Legislature and our State 
Agricultural Society must have been imposed 
upon, tor in 1S4‘J and 1850, this “ understrap¬ 
per” was invited and delivered a course of lec¬ 
tures at Albany before the members of the 
Legislature and the foremost farmers ol the 
State, upon the “Relation of Science to Prac¬ 
tical Agriculture,” which were highly com¬ 
mended by the auditors and published by the 
State. What a lucky fellow he was, to get into 
such good and appreciative society, when he 
was only “foreign scurf!” 
“ Most of these w’riters teach theories—of the 
practice they know nothing,” says the Club 
Reporter. Here again our information has led 
us astray. Liebig’s Natural Laws of Husbandry 
A FEW WORDS ABOUT HORSES. 
Hat and oats make the best feed for horses 
that are obliged to work hard and regularly. If 
the hay is cut fine and the oats bruised or 
ground, the whole mixed and moistened, the 
horse will eat hia rations quicker, digest them 
sooner, and thus have more time for resting and 
renewing his powers for labor. Farmers’ horses 
that work little daring winter time may be kept 
cheaper by cutting and mixing bright straw and 
hay in equal quantities, and adding a ration of 
steamed potatoes or raw carrots. Colts should 
be fed liberally on good hay—bright clover i3 
best—and bruised oats; give them a roomy box 
stall iu stormy weather and during nights. 
Litter freely and let the manure accumulate 
under them. Sawdust or spent tan make good 
uud convenient bedding; in cities and villages 
they are often cheaper than straw. Groom 
horses well and let them have exercise every 
day; a run in the yard Is excellent. See that 
stable floors over basements are sound and 
strong. Arrange the feeding-racks so that dust 
and hay seed will not fall into horses’ manes or 
eyes; some horsemen build their mangers too 
high, thus forcing the auimul to take an un¬ 
natural and painful position when eating. Farm 
horses that are not worked should have their 
shoes taken off, and those that are driven on the 
road should be kept well shod. 
v, v. uuiu .u euujuvuuu me iiery zeal ol the seces¬ 
sionist. None but those who have weathered 
the storm could believe how rapidly this preju¬ 
dice Is disappearing, and be assured now it will 
be forever. All that we at present need is en¬ 
terprise, energy and skill. The former planter, 
intelligent and well experienced in the farming 
of other days, is hcdpless; a revolution in Agri¬ 
culture must take place, and in the adaptation 
of labor and management to the present condi¬ 
tion of things, ho is, 1 believe, more in the dark 
than would be a Northern farmer. I believe 
this from my own experience. I came here ig¬ 
norant of the first principles of agriculture prac¬ 
tically, yeti raised the best crop, and managed 
my hands with less trouble than any man in the 
county. If this be the result In the case of one 
thus ignorant, what might we not expect of a 
practical, energetic Northern farmer, of whom 
you have thousands that might so readily he 
spared ? 
Of the character of labor, of the products, 
climate, &c., I will not now speak ; but a word 
in regard to 
LOCALITY. 
We are not out of the world or isolated. Iu 
all the Cis-Mississlppi States there is extensive 
railroad communication. I selected this point 
on account of such facilities. In sight is the 
railroad from the Gulf to Cairo. We have a 
daily mail, so that in this respect we have ad¬ 
vantages superior to those enjoyed by many of 
our \\ csteru friends. At like distance another 
road from Vickshurgh to Montgomery, Ala., cer- 
MIXING SOILS, 
BOOK FARMING,” AGAIN. 
The Reporter of the American Institute Far¬ 
mers’ Club, replies to our criticism upon its 
discussion ol‘ the value of book knowledge in 
farming, that they “ did not say that such books 
should not be read, but that they had done a 
great deal of harm;” that “Liebig, the most 
prominent of them, has made important state¬ 
ments regarding spring wheat, which experi¬ 
ence has proved false;” that “most of these 
writers teach theories —of the practice they 
know nothing;” that the English Agricultural 
writers “ for the most part are the understrap¬ 
pers oi some lord or dnke, use obscure terms 
and set phrases, &c.;” that “ we must scrape off 
this foreign scurf aud tread it under foot.” 
ingress desirable. With all these facilities lands 
can be had from $3 to £15 per acre, any of which, 
with half the care and expense, would be far 
more remunerative than a great majority of the 
farms in the New England States at least. The 
