mix one part wood ashes with four parts of com- where at least two tons of good hay should be anmon salt, and pack the hams down in this mixture, nually cut to the acre; and then produce as much and let them lie three or four weeks, and then wash pasture beside, in one season, as it would prethem off and smoke them. In this case, as the so-viously to any improvement. Now, I wish to atluble parts of wood ashes are principally potash tract particular attention to this fact, for it is indeed and sulphate of potash, the moisture of the meat a fact; though I know some old-fashioned farmers, shortly dissolves them both, and the sulphate of who, if they were to meet with this, their mouths potash will be taken up by the meat in the same and eyes would expand with astonishment, and manner as if in brine. And Mr. Lewis informs us horror would be depicted on every furrow of their that this mode of curing makes good sweet meat. visages. First of all, let me say, that it needs a due Saleratus, also, almost invariably contains a con- share of energy and perseverance, qualities I hold siderable proportion of sulphate of potash. Salera- essentially requisite to the accomplishment of any tus is made from the pearlash of commerce, merely undertaking; but where a farmer especially is by impregnating it freely with carbonic acid, and bound to persevere, it really seems astonishing the pearlash of commerce almost invariably contains what one can accomplish. But, to my object. a considerable proportion of sulphate of potash, but am extravagantly fond of improving land; there is in various proportions, according to the quality of something peculiar about it that always interests the ashes from which it is made. me; it really seems like a certain way of improving one's self; and who is there that cannot appreciate it? Certainly, waving fields of grain are far more beautiful than acres of brush and stone. In the year 1817, I had on hand 7 tons of pearlash, and perceiving that sulphate of potash abounded in it, I separated the sulphate of potash from it by a simple process, and obtained 520 pounds from the I have a small plot of ground that once seemed 7 tons of potash, or nearly 4 per cent. Saleratus, graced with almost innumerable obstacles to successtherefore, may be used instead of white ley in cur-ful cultivation; bogs and bog holes; hedges and ing meat. But the surest and best way for those briars; low places and high places, existed in all who can obtain it, will be to use the pure sulphate their native majesty; and it really seemed irreof potash. The sulphate of potash is a strong salt, claimable. But I have not found it so. The first and yet is only a gentle purgative. An ounce is step was to drain it thoroughly. And here just rather a large dose, but would not injure any grown allow me very briefly to repeat my testimony in person. On the other hand, saltpetre, in large doses, favor of draining. Previous to draining, the ground irritates and inflames the bowels, and a dose of one was so peculiarly situated, every little shower the ounce produces death. It is a strong poison; and water would collect in little pools, causing, for the fortunate would be that person who could escape time being, a certain check to all our operations, death, even with the very best medical assistance, thereby losing much time. Now it bleeds at every after taking such a dose. For the truth of this, re-pore, and we no longer fear to have it rain. To all ference may be had to Beck's Medical Jurispru- our formers I say, drain land that needs it, without dence, article, Nitrate of Potash. In small doses of delay. Standing water is death to all useful vegetaone or two grains it diminishes the heat of the body tion in this climate. Draining does wonders. After extremely, and is used by physicians for that pur- a thorough and complete draining, I could scarcely pose in fevers. In healthy persons it produces an recognize the soil; the difference in the yield of unnatural coldness and dyspepsia. While spiritu- grass was perfectly astonishing. Everything that ous liquors were in common use, it may have been could grow seemed to enjoy and take advantage of useful in lessening the unnatural heat occasioned by its new liberties. If any anti-book-farmer wishes them. But now that the cause of temperance so to mark the contrast between improved and unimgenerally prevails, there seems to be no good reason for continuing the use of this poisonous ingredient as a condiment for curing meat. And if its properties and effects are generally well known, its use for this purpose will be abandoned. HENRY J. CANFIELD. Canfield, Ohio, Nov. 10th, 1845. IMPROVING LAND. proved land, I invite him to come over and see it; for just alongside of mine is a piece of ground still in its original neglected and forlorn state, yielding but an indifferent supply of pasture. Says one, why does not your next neighbor follow your example? I answer, he is one of the easy, old-fashioned kind, but often tells me he feels encouraged now, and thinks some day or other he will undertake it. HAVING succeeded beyond my most flattering My next step in order was to cut and burn the expectations, through the aid of the Agriculturist bogs, and apply the ashes to a crop of corn, which and kindred journals, in subduing a piece of ground proved more pleasant and profitable than crops of that was deemed almost unconquerable, I wish to bogs. I have just now completed plowing for give your readers a few very plain facts, which the season, having the ground as rough as possible, will show that sustaining agricultural journals is a in view of the action of the frost, which, by spring, profitable investment. I commenced tilling the soil will prove an admirable pulverizer. One more fact on my own hook, quite young, and practically I wish plainly understood. I plow my land very knew but little about it; and though I have had my deep, much deeper than many of my neighbors, and own ignorance and the prejudice of others to con- have never failed from this cause in getting a remutend against, yet I have already hinted, and in the nerating crop. At the solicitation of a friend, I atsequel will attempt to show, that I have accom-tended the late plowing match of the American Inplished something. I happen to know some farms stitute, at Harlem, and however nicely done otherwhere some of the best meadow land is a scar on wise, I soon observed that, for some soils, I should the place; bogs, briars, and wet places abound, wish it deeper. My average depth for plowing is 22 CUTTING ROOTS.-AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA. of cattle ought to eat at a meal. Common turnips and potatoes are so small they may require a machine, and perhaps when these are much fed, it will be economy to purchase one. JAS. WINTHROP. Harlem, Dec. 13, 1845. twelve inches; but the heavier the soil and the more retentive the subsoil, the deeper would I plow. I particularize on this fact, because I have years of my own experience to support me, and because I have old-established farmers all around me who are very much prejudiced against deep plowing. Its advantages, in a few words, are a deep soil for AGRICULTURE IN ALABAMA. roots to penetrate for nourishment, and that the surAs the year 1815 is now coming to a close, I feel plus water may pass through more rapidly. But ait due to the different Agricultural Works, which I very safe criterion is a comparison between an or- take, that I give through their columns, some acdinary farm and one where deep plowing and good count of the operations on my farm. I say some cultivation is constantly practised; then mark the account, for it is impossible for me to give in one difference in the yield, aside from the genal ap- sheet anything like a full account, as I find myself pearance of the farm. I always want those who at this time, at page 188 of what I term my farming are opposed to deep plowing, to account for the memorandum book, or diary kept of all the operations enormous yield of vegetables and growth of trees done on my farm. Although I have kept a similar in a garden where the soil has been trenched and book for near twenty years, I have never attempted manured to the depth of eighteen inches or two feet, to give at the close of the year my system of farmAs to the depth, I would never plow in any soil ing; but believing that if the cultivators of the soil were it possible, less than twelve inches, and in throughout the United States, would thus compare some soils much deeper. It is true, I often expose notes once a year, it would have the effect of greatly a poor subsoil in my practice, but to this I apply a encouraging each other in improving their system. double portion of manure. As I am of the opinion I speak from experience, having been stimulated to that manure for land is, like oats for a horse, it is renewed exertion often by reading from the pages the best medicine you can give, and as the oats are of the different papers and periodicals devoted to applied inwardly, so I plow in my manure; and as agriculture, the many accounts of the success of the it seems to me the surest way of securing its bene-farmer. Now, I cannot give my brother farmers a fits, or of "fixing the ammonia," as the fashionables will have it. I have seen farmers scatter loads very flattering account; having settled a new country, every furrow I have plowed has been among trees and stumps. I will now, however, give it as it is. сар and loads of coarse yard manure upon the surface of the ground, which practice I consider wasteful in It is my custom to commence each year on the the extreme, as almost every particle of any use is 1st of January. The profits of the farm vary greatly lost, as it is the roots we wish to supply with with the seasons, as every farmer knows. We warmth and food, and not the air. I believe, how cleared in 1844, upwards of 16 per cent. on the ever, we have yet much to learn in the application ital invested in agriculture. In 1845, as will be of manures. Now, as to the economy of my prac-seen, there will be a considerable falling off from tice, I will add that I am perfectly satisfied, and the previous year. This is attributed to two will give one proof in dollars and cents; as Eng-causes: first, I planted much less cotton; secondly, lish writers say that is the universal way of defin- I suffered greatly from the severe drought that has ing American problems. My crop of hay this dry cut short season I calculated paid the interest of $5 per acre, The first item of capital employed in agriculture while along side of it, is land that scarcely yields is my farm, 1st of January, 1845, at $8,550. There enough to pay for fencing. is in cultivation on this farm of poor pine land, or sandy soil, 267 acres. One more word as to manure. I am no chemist or scientific farmer, yet I believe in manure, and make it my constant practice to apply to the land every substance in the shape of manure, except such decidedly acid substances as new tan, pomace, and the like. The higher portion of my ground I have converted into a nursery, and have now upon it a most beautiful, healthy, and thrifty growth of fruit trees; and as I have now come to the tree part, my favorite hobby, I may at some future time, if agreeable, give you a few practical hints on the successful cultivation of fruit trees. As I have been myself remarkably successful, I could wish that others might enjoy as much. W. D. Morristown, Morris Co., N. J., Nov. 27, 1845. CUTTING ROOTS.-Happening in your store the other day, in your absence, I was shown quite a variety of machines for cutting roots. I have no doubt they will do their work well and cut with great rapidity; yet after all I question whether they are a labor-saving machine to the small farmer. I can, in fifteen minutes, cut up on the frozen ground, or on my barn floor, with a strong hay knife or sharp spade, as many ruta-bagas or beets as ten head my cotton crop one-third. The present year, the following is the arrangement of the land: The following notes of the time of planting the crop and the seasons, I copy from my book. At page 44, I find we commenced planting corn on the 26th of February. The land planted in corn quite broken. Planted in drills on the horizontal system; the rows six feet wide, the corn two feet apart in the rows: peas planted in the middle of the rows. At page 64, I find it turned quite cold, the corn planted on the 26th February, bitten down. On page 75, I find we commenced planting cotton on the 31st of March. The land planted in cotton is level; about half of it manured with compost manure, prepared by hauling into a lot where my cattle are penned, equal parts of the penned straw CARROTS VERSUS OATS.-SHIPPING SHEEP. "And faith, Misther," added he," sure it had grown to the bottom of the hole, twelve feet long, and as big as your thigh." Your readers may believe as much of Patrick's story as they choose; yet, this is certain, that I have occasionally grown the Belgian white field carrots three feet long and 4 inches diameter at the top, in a rich, deep, alluvial loam. and the blue marl, that abounds in this region. In | he watered with liquid manure through the sum- I value it at $40 per bale,.. At page 187, I find that we have been 44 days hauling marl, at $2 per day,.... At page 187, I find that we have been 24 days There will be 30 more days employed in haul- The expenses SHIPPING SHEEP. S. HAVING had occasion the past month to ship four beautiful Merino sheep from the Hon. Wm. Jarvis, Miss., the directions received from Mr. Jarvis for of Vermont, to E. R. Brown, Esq., of Gallatin, doing this were so judicious that we copy them into our paper as an excellent guide for all engaged in 88.00 such business. He says: $1400.00 72.00 of the I set down at $450. Eufaula, Ala, Nov. 25, 1845. CARROTS VERSUS OATS. Will you allow me to suggest, that I think they would go best in a pen of about 6 feet long and 4 75.00 to 4 1-2 feet wide, and about three feet high; to be 100.00 boarded tight on the back, and both ends and top, with the exception of a door in the latter to put the $1735.00 sheep in and give them drink. In front there might be slats up and down about an inch and a half wide and 3 inches separation, one from the other, the slats to be a little rounded in the separation; the bottom to be slatted with slats of 4 or 5 inches wide, and about half an inch separation from slat It has been stated in the New York Farmers' to slat, to let the urine and dung through; but the Club, that a bushel of carrots cut fine by a root cut-separation must not be wide enough to let their ter is fully equivalent to a bushel of oats for horse feet through. There ought to be nailed across the feed in winter. If so, of how much importance is bottom, three cleats, one at each end and one at the the cultivation of this crop to the farmer, who works centre, to keep the pen from the deck, so that a horse teams, or keeps brood mares and raises colts? bucket of salt water might be occasionally thrown Of the comparative value of these two crops, I can-under to keep the sheep clean and without wetting not speak advisedly in mild weather, and the horse moderately worked; but in cold weather, and the horse hard worked, roots of any kind are poor feed. Under these circumstances, a horse must have grain I would leave it to the intelligent in our climate. farmers to make experiments, taking into account the cost of each. This much we can do. them, as being kept dry is essential to their health. In front a board of about a foot wide may be nailed at the bottom of the slats, but to slope out about 9 inches at the top, and secured at each end to make a manger to put the hay in: the bottom of this the pen. A small trough ought to be made at the manger ought to be about a foot from the bottom of I have raised upwards of 800 bushels of carrots end under the door to feed grain in; a salt water to the acre, but never raised over 56 bushels of bucket, that is, a bucket bigger at the bottom than oats; the whole of the work of cultivation of the at the top, ought to be lashed in the corner of the carrots was done with harrow and cultivator, except pen under the door, and may be kept half full of the pulling up a few weeds with the fingers, where water all the time to let them drink when they will the two implements would not reach without injury-taking care to throw out the water when it gets to the carrots; making the labor of cultivating but little more than that of corn, except the harvesting. I always have found them an excellent feed for all kinds of stock, but especially for milch cows. carrots as well as all other root crops, plow deep. Put in the subsoil plow, after the common plow, as deep as it will go, and manure highly, and I will warrant a good crop, let the season be wet or dry. fouled by their dung. This shaped bucket is much better than a common pail, as the water will not For They will require about 2 lbs. [we prefer 4 lbs. slop half so much out of it in the rolling of the sea. as considerable is wasted on board ship] of good hay each per day, and a pint of good oats. It or a faithful sailor, to see that they are fed with hay would be well to agree with some of the attendants, night and morning, and oats at noon; and for his attention to give him half a dollar or a dollar a head Weathersfield, Vt., Nov. 17, 1845. WM. JARVIS. over and above the freight, if they all arrive safe. I once had an Irish gardener famous for large stories. He said while in the employ of a nobleman who was very fond of trying experiments, he dug a hole in the ground as big and as deep as a barrel; set a pole into the hole twelve feet long; then built a pyramid of earth round it, to the top; mixed the whole well with compost; pulled out the pole and filled up the hole with a rich loam, mixed with chemicals; planted his carrot seed, and when it had come up, pulled out all but one stand. This To the above we will add, we have found by actual experiment, that large sheep like the Cotswolds, &c., will eat from 3 1-2 to 4 lbs. of hay per day on board ship; and allowing for waste, 5 lbs. per day, per head, should be laid in for the whole voyage. 24 LIME IN VIRGINIA.-CATTLE HANDLER.-OVERSEERS FOR FARMS. LIME IN VIRGINIA. CATTLE HANDLER. I HAVE been saved much trouble by the use of the accompanying little instrument for the management of unruly cattle. UNDER this head we noticed an article from Mr. A. Nicol, of Virginia, on page 342 of your last volume, and should have replied to it sooner, could we have got the various analyses of our lime to do so This is simply a light bar of iron, A, about eight effectually. We now subjoin such as have been inches in length, with a ring handle of sufficient made by Dr. Chilton, of New York, from average size to admit a man's hand, which turns on a (not picked) specimens of the different strata of our swivel, B, at one end, and at the other end, a pair quarries. Dr. Chilton is of opinion that the sam- of calliper-shaped legs, one of which is stationary, ple which Mr. Nicol speaks of being analyzed by the other opens with a joint, similar to the joint of Mr. Stuart, happened, unfortunately for us, to be a pair of common tongs. The fixed leg is inserted an inferior specimen, or perhaps it had lain some into one nostril of the animal, and the moveable time subject to air-slaking before being analyzed. one is bent into the other, where it is kept in place by By exposure to the air, burnt lime absorbs water a slide, which passes over a flat spring, at C. With and carbonic acid in the process of air-slaking; this instrument a man can, with one hand, manage therefore, an analysis of such exposed sample will the most unruly animal, for the purpose of adminisyield less lime per cent. than a sample fresh from tering medicines, or performing any other operation. the kiln. This is an important consideration. We now subjoin the different analyses: CATTLE HANDLER-FIG. 3. B It can be made by any ingenious blacksmith (mine was made by William H. Rose, of Flushing), though care must be taken that the ends of the legs be blunt, and so contrived, as not to meet (a space of of an inch between them, is sufficient), otherwise they would pinch the septum, or partition of the nostrils, and give unnecessary pain to the animal, and render him more restless. WILLIAM H. SCHERMERHORN. Rose Hill, Flushing, L. 1. OVERSEERS FOR FARMS AND PLANTATIONS.-We The white specimen was analyzed Sept. 13, 1839; the dark specimen, Dec. 5, 1845. No. 1 and 2, Dec. 18, 1845. Mr. Nicol gave Dr. Beck's analysis, are almost daily beset with applications for proshowing 92.75 per cent. of carbonate of lime, perly educated managers for farms and plantations, we therefore need not repeat it here. Dr. B. in different parts of the country-we mean for such was one of our State Geological Surveyors, and persons as are up to the improvements of the age, analyzed the specimen from our quarry during his and have the capacity to carry them properly into survey in 1839, in order to give it in his official re-effect. If farmers' sons would qualify themselves port to the State; he would of course under such for such stations as these, instead of going to shopcircumstances endeavor to be as correct as possible. keeping, or running after some beggarly profession, We have numerous letters which we could produce both themselves and the country would be great acknowledging the superior merits of our lime, gainers thereby. The following is a specimen but after the above we think it unnecessary to say more. We are much obliged to Mr. Nicol for the handsome manner in which he acknowledges the beneficial effects of our lime on Virginia soil, and hope it may induce others to try it. CALVIN TOMKINS & Co. Peekskill, N. Y., Dec. 20, 1845. To this communication of Messrs. Tomkins & Co., it may be proper for us to add, that they have left the original analyses made by Dr. Chilton, in our hands for inspection by any one wishing to see them; also commendatory letters of their lime, from those who have long used it. Dr. Chilton is considered one of the best analytical chemists in this city, and probably has not his superior in the United States. We have every confidence in his analyses being strictly correct, he being in daily practice of analyzing. of applications for overseers from the south, which we received the other day. We know not where to find suitable persons to fill these stations; we mean such as are qualified by education, experience, and skill. "Could you recommend any one to me as a manager on my plantation? He will have upwards of 100 of my people in charge, including old and young. He must not only be well informed, but practically acquainted with the improved mode of agriculture in relation to raising the best crops of corn, wheat, grass, &e.; the management of horses, catfle, sheep, and hogs; be able to keep plantation accounts, &c., &c. To a person qualified in all respects to manage my plantation, I shall be willing to pay $500 per annum, provide him with a comfortable house to live in, provisions, and two servants to do his cooking and house service; a horse to ride, and besides some other little privileges." |