292 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
to a great extent, the fertilizing ingredients of Guano. 
Bui whilst the oxalate (African) is very soluble in water, 
tht urate is is insoluble. 
ifence the farmer who uses African Guano, may ex¬ 
pect a rapid effect, but nothing that is permanent beyond 
crop, whilst the use of the Peruvian in England has al¬ 
ready shown its effects to be apparent on a second and 
third crop. 
In practice, analysis leads us to suggest the propriety 
of recommending the application of African Guano in 
small quantities, added at short intervals, rather than the 
use of the whole at once. For instance if 200 lbs. is to 
be applied to an acre of meadow, let it be divided into 
parcels of 50 lbs., and each scattered at intervals of a 
W'eek, after rain or when it is expected. I should also 
be disposed to add rather less African than Peruvian Gu¬ 
ano, in view of the great solubility of the former. The 
manure should be applied with three or four times its 
bulk of fine earth. 
There are many other particulars interesting to the far¬ 
mer and naturalist, connected with this difference in che¬ 
mical composition, which are however, too long for your 
pages, and will be published (as requested by the Farm¬ 
er’s Club,) in a short Essay, which I will do myself the 
honor of transmitting to your office. 
Yours respectfully, D. P. Gardner, M. D. 
Lecturer on Ag. and Analysis in the N. Y. Ag. Institute. 
GREEN CORN FOR WINTER USE. 
Messrs. Editors— A correspondent in the July num¬ 
ber of the Cultivator, inquires concerning the prepara¬ 
tion of green corn for winter use.* 
The following is the manner in which it is prepared in 
my family, of the merits of' which he can judge by ex¬ 
periment. 
Pluck the ears of green corn when fit for boiling, strip 
off the husks and throw the ears into a kettle of boiling 
water, leave them in until the water boils up over them, 
when they must be taken out. Shell off the corn by run¬ 
ning the prong of a fork along the base of the grain, 
holding- the ear with one end against the breast; this is 
better than cutting off with a knife, inasmuch as it is 
more expeditious, and saves all the grain, including the 
heart or germ, which is the sweetest part. 
After being thus prepared, it must be spread out thin 
on cloths in a shaded, airy place to dry; it should be 
stirred every day until thoroughly dried. When cooked, 
it should be put in cold water and boiled an hour or 
more; the water to be pretty well boiled off. When the 
water is nearly off, a little milk added to it will improve 
the taste. Respectfully yours, M. 
SJiawangunk , July 29, 1844. 
THE GOPHER OF FLORIDA. 
Editors Cultivator —On page 209 of the present vo¬ 
lume of your very valuable paper, I observe an article 
headed, “ To kill Gophers, &c.” credited to the Prairie 
Farmer, with a few lines of editorial, from which it 
would be inferred you believed the Gopher to be a spe¬ 
cies of the mole. This surprises me, knowing the Go¬ 
pher to be an animal peculiar to the south, and have al¬ 
ways supposed the w'ord Gopher to be of Creole origin. 
The word, I apprehend, is unknown to naturalists as ap¬ 
plied to an animal of any species, and can only account 
for the discrepancy in this instance by the supposition of 
the name being given or understood as applied to two 
animals entirely distinct in every particular. 
The appellation is applied to an animal of the turtle 
species found south and west of the Savannah river, Ga. 
(it is worthy of remark they are not to be found north 
of it) along the Gulf coast within the region of the long 
leaf pine barren to the Mississippi, and for aught I know, 
much farther west. It differs materially from the Ter¬ 
rapin common in the west and perhaps throughout the 
country. 
They are usually about ten inches long and weigh 
* There is a Dutch name for this article, which 1 do not give because 
it cannot be spelled in English. 
from five to eight pounds, very inoffensive and slow ij 
gait, living on grass, and whatever may be found in theij 
rambles of a vegetable nature. Holes are made by then- 
in the earth at an angle of forty-five degrees, sometime 8 
to the extent of ten feet; after arriving to a certain depth 
however, the avenue is level with the surface of the 
earth to which they resort for incubation and protection 
At Pensacola particularly they are much esteemed a? 
an article of diet, and are preferred by caterers of the 
mess aboard public ships to fowls of any kind, being 
equal in flavor and taste, and living much longer at sea. 
They are caught when hunted and scarce, in pits dug a* 
the mouth of the holes, lined with bark and covered 
slightly so as to break under their weight. They are 
never found nearer than a mile or two from any habita¬ 
tion or cultivation. Having wrested the Gopher, which, 
when well prepared is no mean dish, from the poisonous 
arsenic of Mr. Sherfry, I might close my letter with a 
simple expression of kind feeling for you, Mr. Editor, 
and all lovers of the science of Agriculture, but in jus¬ 
tice to Mr. S. will state that his prescription will be well 
received by the farmers of this country to destroy a lit¬ 
tle animal very destructive to seeds and roots, of the rat 
species, called the Salamander. This little pest is very 
shy, and is rarely seen by man. 
Is there not a breed of cattle called the Galloway, 
without horns? For the sake of humanity, recommend 
them to J. S. on page 227, to relieve him of such barba¬ 
rous practices, and your readers the pain of their recital. 
Oakey Hill, Florida, 24th July , 1844. G. F. B. 
There are four or five breeds of polled, or hornless 
cattle, one of which is the Galloway. They are consi¬ 
dered very good stock, and we second the humane sug¬ 
gestion of our correspondent. Eds. 
POLITICAL ECONOMY. 
Messrs. Editors— -Many of your readers must have 
been greatly surprised by the communication of Dr. 
Bates, in your last number, calling in question what all 
the world have heretofore considered a self-evident 
truth, and one of the great corner-stones of every true 
system of political economy. It has been the motto of 
success, whether to nations or individuals, since the 
world began, and so will be to the end of time. 
Your correspondent says there appears to be a (i fog” 
about the matter; and so there is, if his logic be true. 
But it is more specious than sound, as may be shown ea¬ 
sily. He illustrates through a Vermont wagoner; but 
went no further than suited his theory. Let us go a lit¬ 
tle further, and suppose the wagoner over-traded; that is, 
took away some of the ready cash of his town or family, 
besides the “ notions,” and brought back groceries to the 
whole amount, consumed them, and went again, and so 
kept on exporting', importing and consuming, how long 
would it be till that town or family came to poverty and 
want? This would be the inevitable result; and no one 
would look for any thing else. Now this is a plain case 
of imports exceeding exports. 
But while in his last sentence, he admits the true doc¬ 
trine, viz. “ that a nation or individual who consumes 
more than they produce, must grow poor,” yet calls it a 
“ sophism,” ‘‘sheer nonsense,” &c. when spoken of as 
imports and exports. What are our exports, but our 
produce; and our imports, but articles of consumption? 
The idea is apparently held out that we can buy some¬ 
thing which we do not want to consume, which would 
be another gross violation of one of the first rules of eco¬ 
nomics, <e buy nothing which you do not want.” 
We are also given to understand that there is nothing 
so very frightful in having the balance of trade against 
us: and he intimates that the doctrine is false, that we are 
400,000,000 poorer than we should be, because we have 
over-traded to that amount, as shown by the Treasury ta 
bles. Now we have paid for these goods by our labor 
and consumed them. No doubt they were luxuries, and 
much more might be put to the same account. Suppose 
we had practiced a little more self-denial; would not the 
fruits of that labor be yet in the country ? We shouh 
have it in some other shape; say, more improved farms 
more manufactories, and better ones; and a better de- 
