for twenty-six consecutive years to produce abundant crops, nor has fruit of any kind ever been known to be frost-killed, though there have been instances where it has been destroyed by a "severe freeze." There may be many such localities among the mountains of southern Pennsylvania, where the hardier grapes may be raised for many years with a good degree of success. The experiment is worthy of trial. If the story be not apocryphal, something has already been commenced in this direction, as appears from a recent notice of grape-growing in Blair county, Pennsylvania, in The American Exchange and Review for February, 1866.

Elevation is esteemed very important by many planters of peach trees near the Mississippi river, as their experience proves its value. An orchard near Alton, Illinois, 200 feet above the river, seldom fails to produce fruit, while all around the crop is frequently destroyed. On other orchards the spring frosts have destroyed all the buds within about ten feet of the ground, the line of death being as well defined as if levelled with a surveyor's instrument. At elevations varying from 20 to 250 feet above and bordering the Mississippi river, a difference of twelve degrees of temperature has often been observed on a still night. On the bluff of Lake Michigan, latitude 444° north, 200 feet above the water on a knoll a few feet above the garden level, tomato vines were seen in blossom on December 1, 1865, though the first frost to destroy vegetation on lower levels had occurred on the 3d of October of that year. These results are all plainly attributable to the protecting agency of a canopy of buoyant vapor floating above and displaced by the cold air, which, descending to a lower level, has cut off the tender vegetation; and on this principle may perhaps be explained the moderate success which attends vine-growing on the hills which border the Ohio at sites judiciously selected.

On reviewing my long argument to sustain the belief that we have in the northern United States certain local climates clearly distinct in their range, and peculiarly fitted for the production of many tender and hardy fruits, and therein strongly contrasting with the climate of districts but little removed therefrom, and that these peculiarities are almost solely the result of the influences of the wide waters adjacent, I think my readers cannot fail to be convinced that the position has been sustained. Though with some the assertion may need no proof, there are others, and perhaps many, who never heard that our great lakes are of any use but for navigation, while there are some who believe them to be a great mistake on the part of the Divine Architect, and needing the improving hand of human genius! Despite the extraordinary value of the great lakes to the agriculture of the surrounding region, there are writers who scruple not to advance a most atrocious theory of possible improvements to be thereto applied. One of these engineers coolly proposes to fill up nine-tenths of them with earth! Hear his sage remarks: "If one could keep the Erie and Ontario at their present depth, and stretch out their apparently boundless expanse into good canals of moderate breadth, turn the land on each side into corn-fields, and keep every twenty miles as a broad square piece to form a basin attached to each canal-had nature adopted such a plan as this in the distribution of waters, or anything approaching such a grand ideal, I should consider it much more worthy of admiration than these great awkward basins that we ought to try and get rid of, or remodel as soon as we can!"

A theory so preposterous as the above could only have had its origin in the brain of one profoundly ignorant of the climatic value of waters to the territories adjacent-such ignorance as we have endeavored to remove. Far different from that presumption, which would arraign Omniscience, is the sentiment that would prompt to learn the wisdom of His ordainings, trace His beneficence in every arrangement, and humbly trust where it cannot understand. If we have not already shown, further research must prove, that these "wastes of waters," so termed, are not waters wasted, but have been stored for the use of man, to bless

him in many ways, some more obvious to his perceptions, others demanding closer inquiry, but equally advantageous to his comfort and his progress. It might be shown that they are gathered into the niches where they can most benefit the adjoining regions, in the latitude where their services were most needed; moulded in outline and arranged in concert for the widest extension of their blessings; scooped to the depth most conducive to the full conservative powers of their cool waters; raised to the height best adapted for that flow which shall gently press their floods onward to their outlets; placed where their ever-open bowls shall receive the blessing of the rains of heaven, and treasure or dispense them most wisely; and that, so far from requiring any changes to adapt them to human needs, they are, in their present condition, wonderful evidences of designs the most beneficent and far-reaching, planned for His creatures by the Divine Creator from the foundation of the world.

An article entitled "Observations on Atmospheric Humidity," intended to form an appendix to the present, has already appeared in the Report of the Agricul tural Department for 1865. That paper assumes to explain, on sound principles, the cause of the variable climates of districts remote from water influences, as well as to indicate the best modes of remedying the evils of aridity, and preventing its increase. The reader desirous of extending his inquiries respecting the cause and cure of the difficulties to which our climate is subjected from deficient moisture, would probably consult that paper, after the perusal of the present attempt, with greater advantage than would attend their disconnected study.

COTTON CULTURE IN 1866.

BY N. B. CLOUD, M. D., MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA.

In accordance with the request of the Commissioner of Agriculture, I propose to embody some suggestions relative to the culture of cotton in 1866, the peculiar difficulties attending it, and "the necessity and advantage of the general introduction of labor-saving machinery to reduce the cost of culture, and to neutralize the embarrassments arising from the existing and prospective scarcity of labor." I may premise that the natural history and true philosophy of the culture of the cotton plant have been my constant study for more than a quarter of a century; therefore I shall write not merely what I think, but what I know from personal observation and practical experience, for a series of years, on the cotton field.

It was but reasonable to calculate upon a comparatively short crop of cotton' the present year. The plantations of the country were in a rough and dilapidated condition generally; stock, mules, and horses for plongh-teams were scarce, as was also grain to feed them during the ploughing season, and in very many localities extremely difficult to procure, which, of course, measurably prevented the proper preparation of the land for planting. Then, again, most of the seed was old and imperfect from neglect during the war. From this canse few plantations obtained even a tolerable stand, and on many not until after planting over two or three times.

These discouragements at the very beginning of the crop started the cotton plant very late. Then again, to meet and encounter these serious disadvantages, the planters found themselves in the use of a new and untried system of labor, and the laborers generally disinclined to do full work. Superadded to this

already frightful array of difficulties attending the commencement of the crop, we had the most unprecedented amount of spring rain through the early summer that has ever been known in the cotton States, culminating in the great flood of June 10, which almost entirely drowned out the cotton plant on the rich river and creek bottom lands.

This long-continued, extremely wet weather not only injured the plant by a surcharge of water in the soil, thereby retarding its growth and rendering the plant more liable to succumb to the ravages of the aphis, (plant louse,) but promoted the rank growth of grass and weeds that proved seriously injurious to the crop in the acreage "turned out" to grass. This long spell of rainy weather was succeeded by sunny and dry weather, enabling the planters, by unseasonable work, to clear their crops-such as were not lost and given over-of the grass and weeds.

But this open dry weather, promising so propitiously in June, continued through July into August, and in many sections of the country to September, proving almost as destructive to the plant as did the rainy weather. In the beginning of September, the heavy summer rains commenced, and with them both the boll worm and the cotton caterpillar; the former destroying the bolls even half grown, while the latter stripped the plant of its foliage, blooms, and all young fruit, (bolls.)

Such is a brief statement of the "difficulties" attending the culture and production of the present very short cotton crop of the United States, which cannot much exceed the crop of 1836-thirty years ago, when Alabama and Florida produced comparatively little, and nearly ten years before Texas was a State of the Union. In a paper of this character, I cannot go into the minutia of these difficulties attending the operations of the past season.

In regard to these difficulties, an important question arises: Are they likely to continue to embarrass the culture of cotton for the future? To this question I answer emphatically that most of them will not; the plantations have received and are still receiving repairs for the next crop; the horse and mule force is being largely increased, and the planters have an abundant supply of good seed for the crop of 1867. Of the labor as much cannot be said; it is deficient in quantity, and in quality uncertain and unreliable.

Here we have a very serious embarrassment, that will not only continue, but will probably increase so long as we depend upon the freedmen in the culture of cotton. The other difficulties, of seasons, boll-worm, and cotton caterpillar, are natural, and not therefore entirely within the control of the planter; yet we may reasonably hope that Providence will in the future dispose them as in former

years.

I now come to the proposition that labor-saving machinery is essential to future improvement in cotton culture; and I am gratified to be able to bring to its discussion an experience and practical observation, on the field, of more than twenty-five years.

As early as 1840 I saw the fallacy and destructive effect on the soil of the country of the common system of cotton culture; and at that time I instituted and commenced putting in practical operation a series of experiments founded upon philosophical principles: first, in the preparation and artificial fertilization. of the soil; and secondly, in the subsequent culture of the cotton plant. In 1842, with the disadvantages of slave labor, while this system was yet crude and not fully perfected, I grew upon a single acre of thin or poor (naturally) sandy pine land nearly 6,000 pounds of seed cotton. This crop was grown by first applying a heavy dressing of good compost manure (barn-yard) broad-cast on the land, which was then laid off in five feet rows and bedded out with a good turning plough very deep.

The position of each plant in these rows or beds was spaced exactly three feet apart, and a half gallon, or spade full, of good compost manure deposited in

each hill or position to be occupied by the plant. On the 10th day of April the seed was planted, after being first rolled in ashes, by dropping half a dozen in each place. The only difficulty here, and it was a serious one, the seed being placed in immediate contact with the manure, was the destruction of the vitality of many seeds while vegetating, and I obtained a bad stand at first; but by a quick perception of the difficulty and determined perseverance, I very soon obtained a perfect stand. The culture consisted of one light ploughing, while the plants were yet young, with a common shovel plough, and afterwards entirely with the weed hoe and a sweep running very shallow. Subsequently, and in the perfection of the system, I have abandoned placing any manure in the hill, but apply it broadcast entirely, which secures a good stand at first planting.

Here you have a brief yet plain and simple statement in detail of the mechanical and operative manual labor process by which this new and improved system of cotton culture is conducted in the field. The philosophy and science upon which the system is based, I shall show to be equally plain and simple, and easily to be comprehended by any laborer of good judgment and ordinary intelligence. This may be first stated in brief previous to illustration. A farmer desires to produce upon a given area of ordinary common cotton land, say one or more acres, two or more bales of cotton to the acre. It is first necessary to incorporate with the soil a sufficient quantity of phosphoric acid in a soluble form, which the cotton plants may take up from the soil and assimilate into cotton seed, bearing the proportionate quantity of lint (cotton) for the desired bale or bales. This is conveniently had in good barn-yard compost or a good and genuine article of superphosphate of lime.

The illustration here is more satisfactory by taking a practical example. For instance, an intelligent farmer or planter, with his family located on his own little farm, or on a leased one, proposes to raise five bales of cotton, weighing 500 pounds each, the next year; this he intends to do on five acres of ordinary cotton land. His intelligence and judgment prompt him first to lay his level on this little field and bring his cotton rows to a horizontal. That same intelligence teaches him that the elements of plant food for five bales of cotton do not exist in a soluble form in the soil of his five acre field. What then? He has already prepared, in and from his stock yards and stables, 500 bushels of good compost manure for each acre, which any planter may do at two cents per bushel; if he has it not already prepared he purchases one ton of superphosphate, pure and genuine, which he uses instead of the home-made compost. This is hauled out and spread uniformly over the soil, and then with a two horse "Brinley Eagle," or some other good turning plough, he beds out his rows deep and thoroughly, intimately incorporating this fertilization or plant food with the soil, at the same time effecting the proper and necessary pulverization. This beautiful process accomplished, his five acres of ordinary cotton land become the repository of the available elements of five bales of cotton. At the proper time, between the first and fifteenth of April, he plants his cotton seed; it now becomes necessary that the planter exercise his mechanical skill and judgment in the operation of planting; he is satisfied that he has stored in the soil of this field the crude elements of five bales of cotton, which field, before being fertilized, under the ordinary system of culture, might have produced but 250 to 300 pounds of seed cotton per acre. Now to secure five bales of cotton from it, a certain number of plants must be had standing on it in an even and uniform relation to each other; in other words, this being the first year of the shift or rotation, (this system embracing a beautiful and most profitable method of rotation of crops, as was successfully practiced by myself,) a bale of cotton only is intended to be had from each acre. For this end his rows are laid four feet wide, and the seed planted by spacer (compass) or seed planter thirty inches apart on the row. This gives him 4,368 cotton plants to each acre, taking seventy yards square as

the acre.

Thus he has on each superficial square of ten feet throughout each

acre a cotton plant, thereby securing to each plant its natural (pyrannidal) form and continuous healthy growth to perfect maturity; hence there is here no crowding of the plants, nor is there any space unoccupied. And here allow me to remark, emphatically, that this natural (pyramidal) form of the plant is absolutely essential to its perfect maturity. It is not possible for this uniformity and perfect stand of plants to be had by any other mode or system of culture yet devised. Another short paragraph will simplify this illustration. Take, for instance, an acre of common cotton land anywhere in the cotton region proper, seeding it with wheat, and give it the necessary fertilization and culture for the production of 1,800 pounds of grain, (30 bushels;) a result easily attainable. Then take an adjoining acre of the same character of land, with the same fertilization, and plant it with cotton seed, cultivated in all respects according to this improved system, and it will produce the first year 1,500 to 1,800 pounds of cotton seed; with this important addition, that from the atmosphere the cotton plant clothes the seed by assimilating its carbonic acid with 500 pounds of snow-white lint or cotton.

Here we have an improved system of cotton culture, practical and certain in its results, entirely adapted in every operation to "labor-saving implements and machinery." The land may be thoroughly ploughed with "gang ploughs," the seed dropped and covered at regular distances apart in the rows by seed planters, when all the subsequent work in its culture is just such as the intelligent gardener applies to his enriched soil in growing his superior vegetables. This system of cotton culture commends itself to intelligent laborers and their families; its various operations are comparatively light, (five acres to the hand.) Then again its highest recommendation consists in its permanent improvement of the soil and the bountiful crops of grain it secures to the planter. This five acres, after the cotton is picked off, has returned to the soil the leaves of the cotton plant, the burrs, the stalks, and the seed, except three to four bushels for planting other five acres the next year.

The rows being laid level, neither the enriched soil, nor the debris of the cotton plant returned as above to the field, can be washed off by the rains. This five acres the second year is planted in corn, which yields readily, of an ordinary season, 40 bushels of corn per acre, or 200 bushels to the hand.

The third year it is seeded to wheat, rye, oats, or any small grain crop the farmer may desire. With a light dressing of plaster or superphosphate, (the latter preferable,) an entirely remunerating yield is obtained.

The fourth year it lies in grass fallow, to be disposed of through the season as the interest of the farmer may require.

COTTON PLANTING.

BY JOSEPH B. LYMAN, LATE OF LOUISIANA.

SELECTION OF A COTTON FARM.

THREE or four considerations of a general character must be taken into account by every person who proposes to enter upon the business of producing cotton. The first and most important of these is climate. Cotton will grow and yield a few mature bolls as far north as the latitude of Philadelphia. It has been cultivated to quite an extent in Maryland and Delaware, and in the southern part of New Jersey. West of the Alleghanies, it will grow in southern Illinois, and in