CULTIVATION OF CORN. the same will apply with equal truth in attempting to sow a particular crop, where the substances of which it is to be formed are not present, and cannot be obtained at a rate to warrant the expense. Oyster Bay, L. I., May 15th, 1846. S. Y. (a) May not this want of effect in gypsum be owing to the absence of vegetable matter in the soil of Long Island? At other points along our seacoast, plaster has been employed with beneficial results. CULTIVATION OF CORN. 183 our corn not made in the same length of time? Corn, if planted in latitude 32° 30', in March, or 1st of April, will be safe from drouth by about the 1st of July-say 3 months-whereas corn planted near Lexington, at usual time, say about the 1st of May, is sometimes caught by frost in September, and ruined. No, sir; the difficulty is shallow plowing, and as deep cultivation, with the stand so scattering that the sun bakes the land. dress from the pen of Mr. C. M. Hammond, deSince writing thus far, I have an excellent adlivered before the Burke Co. Central Ag. Society, in Georgia, my friend, Gov. Hammond, of South Carolina, being kind enough to remember me. I also have "Effects of Drouth on Indian Corn, &c." «To the Planters and Farmers of South Carolina," by W. B. Seabrook. Both of these you will "If the land be rich and properly prepared for see, and I would ask a copy of at least the 2d corn, it will be sure to come up and grow, however paragraph on page 13, of Mr. Hammond's pamdry it may be, provided the seed be prepared by phlet. steeping it in guano, or saltpetre, water, or some other In addition to my remarks, I would say that cheap solution. When corn is tolerably advanced shallow covering is of much import. I have tried in its growth, it completely shades the ground, and the various depths, from half an inch to six inches, the drouth will have but little effect upon it. A by putting the seed in a hole at the various larger crop may usually be grown in drills than depths increasing half an inch, and I found the deep when sown broadcast; and if these drills be two, planted corn invariably rotted. or two and a half feet apart, we believe it will be found better than nearer, especially in a very dry season, as the cultivator can be often run between the rows, stirring the ground effectually, and neutralizing, in a measure, the effects of dry weather." In addition to deep tilth, shallow culture, close planting, laying by early, and shallow covering, allow me to add, be certain to plant peas in the middle when you plow the last time, by scattering along the row, covering with cultivator. I sow about one bushel to three acres, my object being I copy your remarks, that the sowing of corn not only to grow peas, but to shade the land, for provender may be again placed before your and to grow vegetable matter to plow in. I may readers, assuring them that, in Mississippi, it will be in error, but I think shading the land acts in a be as great an assistant as you speak of with you. two-fold capacity-preventing the earth getting so And for the purpose of giving in your language, dry, and as an enricher. I have heard it said so what I conceive to be the entire principle of planting frequently that I have become a believer without and cultivating corn, which is, "properly" prepare evidence, that, "covering the earth with lumber or land, plant it close to shade the land early, and bricks it will act as a fertilizer." If so, and that cultivate with a cultivator. I cultivate only ordi-saltpetre is produced in caves, why should not the nary land in part; some of it is really poor, and my close shade of pea-vines act in a similar manner, if entire crop, whether little or much, it matters not, to a less extent? This thing I know, that peahas (and does) averaged 30 bushels per acre. As vines have benefitted me very greatly, whether by to the number of acres I cultivate, or the quantity the covering, or as manure, or as both, it matters not made, it is of no sort of business to know; suffi- I have heard that some": fear the pea-vine would cient is it that I have had corn, and fodder too, to extract nourishment from corn, and might injure spare for several years. But as there are many land;" but I think they, being of the same chawho think "a patch" can be better worked than a racter as the clovers, take very largely of their field, I will state, for their gratification, that I had nourishment from the air, and we thus return more 67 acres in one patch last year, and it was not all to the land than we take, even after gathering the the corn either by many acres. A portion of this pea. I do not think as many peas are grown per field was pronounced by a planter of 250 bales cot-acre, but as I make as many as I can feed, I deem ton, as yielding at the rate 50 bushels per acre. I the pea itself only as a secondary, and if it was reuse no manure to corn, but I plow deep, turn under stricted to the gathering for seed only I shou corn or cotton stalks, and pea-vines; plant 4 feet by about 18 to 20 inches, single stalks in To make these remarks more striking, drills. I cultivate early, hoe when corn has 3 or state that the crop in this place under former over4 blades, or as early thereafter as the season will seers, when they were sometimes manured with admit of, seldom using the hoe after. I thin out cotton seed, never averaged over 20 bushels per by hand, do not chop it up with the hoe. I use acre, with always a scarcity, and sometimes to cultivator or double shovel plows, or the shovel buy. Since two-horse plows, and this mode of cultiplow, and I lay by, when or before the corn is in vation, have been used here, I have gradually imbunch. [tassel?] proved the corn crop to so great an extent, that 72 I believe the South will bear close planting, and acres would have averaged last year over 40 bushels why not? Are your summers not as hot as ours? if a portion had not been grossly neglected. I am True, ours are much longer, but what of it? Is determined to make my corn crops average 50 continue. will BUTTER-ENTRANCE GATE TO A VILLA.-POLLED CATTLE. bushels without hauling manure, and think the day is not far off. The attention of Southern planters being drawn to corn culture, is my excuse for troubling you at such length. M. W. PHILIPS. Edwards' Depôt, Miss., April, 1846. BUTTER.-A lady, writing us from her plantation in Louisiana, says: As for the sugar crop, that is the gentleman's vocation; mine is the garden, poultry, and dairy. Butter as yet we have only enough for family use. After repeatedly visiting the market of New Orleans, I am convinced that they know not what butter really is there. It is a miserable, white, washy stuff, sold there under this name, at an exorbitant price. I know our butter made on the plantation would cause theirs to blush. I hope to send a small sample to our State show in January. The musquitoes seem to be our great est inconvenience. They annoy the young chickens greatly, and prevent our hens from sitting in warm weather. FIG. 50. THE entrance to a garden or villa may be produced in a few years, agreeably to the above representation, by planting a dense thicket of trees and shrubs, clipping the latter so as to form a rustic arch of almost any size or shape. The shrubs to be employed for this purpose may consist of the purging buckthorn, arbor vitæ, arborescent box, holly, and Cherokee rose (in the southern states), grape vine, or ivy. THE BEST SYSTEM OF FARMING.-When Cato was asked, What was the best system of farming? he thrice answered, "bene pascere," which is to be translated "to graze well," or to procure food for cattle, having had in view the connection between the feeding of cattle and the production of manure. I NOTICED in your April No., an inquiry about polled cattle. They are to be found in this vicinity. have a cow six years old, from an imported cow, brought from London by one of our packet masters. The mother was a very fine cow, and cost in Londium size, very gentle, and hardy and well propordon a very high price. The one I have is of metioned. Color red, with some little white. attention exclusively to polled cattle, raising no Henry Perkins, Esq., formerly of Salem, gate his others. A few years ago he gave up the business of farming, and disposed of his cattle, which have become scattered through the town. Capt. Chadwick, of this place, has a very fine cow of that breed, purchased of Mr. Perkins. She is unquestionably the best cow in this vicinity, with the exception of the imported Ayrshire of R. S. Griswold, Esq., which you have seen, and which took the first premium at the cattle show of the American Institute in October, 1844. Some think her superior to the imported cow of Mr. Griswold. At any rate she is a very valuable animal; large, well made, and gives milk abundantly, and of fine quality. Color, reddish brown. She had a heifer calf this spring, by Mr. Griswold's imported Ayrshire bull. The other cattle of Mr. Perkins have mostly gone into the possession of farmers who pay little attention to their stock, and of course are not in a condition to show their true characters. The breed has been very much neglected here, as our farmers give more of their attention to working oxen than to cows. The polled cattle here are not so much esteemed for oxen as those with horns. HENRY M. WAITE Lime, Ct., April 18, 1846. Another Correspondent thus writes us upon this subject: Your correspondent, G. W. J., of Milton, N. C., writes to you about polled cattle, and you ask your readers for information as to where the best are to be procured. In Great Britain there are now three breeds of polled cattle, which were no doubt originally derived from the wild cattle, of which I believe but one herd now remains pure and in a wild state in Yorkshire, though some 60 or 70 years since there were several parks stocked with them, both in the north of England and south of Scotland. Of the improved polled cattle, the Galloway, from the southwest of Scotland, rank first. These are of very fine symmetry, small in the bone, and of very great capability of quickly taking on fat. They are now all black, though formerly this was not the case. Next to these come the Angus-shire, from the northeast of Scotland, very similar to the Galloway, rather larger, but hardly so fine in their points. These are both more valued for making beeves than for dairy purposes. When grass-fattened, at three years old, they leave Scotland and go to within a moderate distance of London, and in the yards in Norfolk and the neighboring counties A MERINO BUCK.-SHEARING SHEEP. they are brought to the highest state of perfection for the London market. Whether in the half fat state in which they are driven south, or when fit for the London butcher, they command a price for their weight, above that given for any other cattle. Their being polled renders them far less liable to injury in the yards than those with horns; and they are considered unequalled in their capability of quickly taking on fat, while their beef is that which brings the highest price in London. Your correspondent wants polled dairy cows. The English breed would better suit him. They are known as Suffolk duns. It is generally believed they are from one of the Scotch breeds, which having long been carried to that part of England for fattening, some of the Suffolk breeders had either adopted them or crossed their own breed with them, thus obtaining a polled stock, which are somewhat larger, and possess qualities as dairy stock, superior to the Scotch. They are chiefly roans, or light colors, though known under the general term of duns-and this at one time was a very common color in the Scotch breed, though by selection and care they are now almost entirely black. The wild cattle from which it is thought these three breeds have sprung, are white, with black ears and muzzles. MERINO sheep were first known in Africa. They were introduced into Spain and Italy in the early part of the first century; but whether they produced as fine fleeces then as now, and were otherwise as valuable, is a matter of great doubt. The first improver of them was Don Pedro II., king of Arragon, early in the 13th century; and after him, Cardinal Ximenes, prime minister of Spain. The French government also deserves great credit for its improvements of this valuable race of sheep, the royal flock at Rambouillet having steadily increased in its average weight of fleece since they were introduced there from Spain, and the quality of the fleece at the same time has been much improved, especially in its general evenness. The introduc 185 "One of the finest oxen I ever saw in Great Britain, was a cross from a Galloway bull and West Highland cow, the latter a horned breed. He was polled, and exhibited at the great cattle show in London, when the crowned heads were there in 1815, and took the second prize, the first being given to a Devon ox, of enormous size, but wanting in fine points. I do not think any Suffolk cattle have ever been imported into this country. For dairy purposes I have no doubt they would be found superior to the Durham, now so much in fashion; and if this notice should lead some of your enlightened readers who may be in the habit of importing cattle, to make themselves acquainted with the valuable qualities of the Suffolk duns, I think they would be encouraged to make a trial of them, and that great success would attend their introduction here. I have never met with superior polled cattle in this country, and as it was in regard to such that your correspondent inquired, I hope some of your numerous readers may be able to give information on this point. What I have stated may either in whole or in part enable you to fill some spare corner of your next number, as notes from April 13, 1846 AN OLD GRAZIER. tion of these sheep into America, and their breed- | In general terms, it may be said that he is a good ing since, is so familiar to our readers, that we need not dwell upon the subject. For a valuable series of articles on the Merino in Spain, see our last volume. SHEARING SHEEP. Or those who can shear a large number in a day, and perform it skilfully, there are very few; but nothing precise can be stated, as it depends entirely on the breed. If they are Saxons or Merinos, or grades of these breeds, it will be very safe to say, from twenty-five to forty, taking the average of a flock; the grown sheep fewer than of yearlings. workman who will accomplish about the largest number, cuts the wool with one clip of his shears, and not in twain, as one shearing too fast is apt to do, shears even and close without cutting the skin, and holds his sheep in those positions both easy to it and himself. The following instructions may be followed, intended for the novice : Supposing that the floor of the shearing-house has previously been thoroughly cleaned, the pound containing the flock littered with straw-the shearer proceeds to bring his sheep upon the floor. COTTON PLOWS. I have not ascertained what will be the amount This he must avoid doing after a common method, " upon his unexpected well-doing-that he imwhich resembles, rather than anything else, the proves with each successive sheep-and that he rough-and-tumble efforts of a dog dragging a wood- will be sure to make a first-rate shearer," you will chuck from his burrow-but after catching it, to bring him under the yoke without his knowing its throw his right arm around the body, grasping the hardships. He will probably shear eight or ten the brisket with his hand, then lift it, and with his left first day, and possibly a few more the next; at all hand remove dirt or straw, if any adhere to the feet. events, guard him all the while, and see that he If the sheep is filthy about the tail, or perchance hurries not, or slights his work in any respect. any burs are attached to the wool, at the threshold In this way, and none other, can we properly of the door, let all be cut off by a suitable pair of educate shearers to do their work with tact, and inshears at hand for such purposes only. Then he creased profit to the flock-master. This is but a may place the sheep on that part of the floor as- transcript of the writer's course; and to show its signed to him, resting on its rump, and himself in a good results, he has now in mind an instance, posture, with one knee on a cushion, and the back among several, where he instructed a raw one, and of the animal resting against his left thigh. He the following season his pupil sheared forty per grasps the shears about half-way from the point to day, and performed his task admirably.-American the bow, resting his thumb along the blade, which Shepherd. affords him better command of the points. He may then commence cutting the wool at the brisket, and, proceeding downwards, all upon the sides of the belly to the extremity of the ribs, the external of cotton planted compared with the crop of 1845, sides of both thighs to the edges of the flanks; but I presume not more, if as much. However, Í then back to the brisket, and thence upwards, do not think there will ever be made more cotton in shearing the wool from the breast, front, and both this country than was made in the year 1844. sides of the neck-but not yet the back of it-and There is more of a feeling now manifested for also the poll or fore part, and top of the head. plentiful crops of provisions than heretofore; in Now the jacket is opened" of the sheep, and its fact, necessity will compel us to pursue that course, position, and that of the shearer, is changed, by as our woodland ranges are fast failing, which_will being turned flat upon its side, one knee of the compel us to winter stock; heretofore we have shearer resting on the cushion, and his other gently been rid of this duty. This, in the end, will be a pressing the fore-quarter of the animal to prevent blessing instead of a misfortune; for where a peoany struggling. He then resumes cutting upon the ple are dependent on their own resources, they are flank and rump, and thence onwards to the head. apt to provide more plentifully, than where woodThus one side is completed. The sheep is then land pastures have been their hopes. turned on to the other side, in doing which great To my knowledge, several sub-soil plows, as care is requisite to prevent the fleece from being well as the northern turn-cast plows, have been intorn, and the shearer acts as upon the other, which troduced among us the present season. Those who finishes. He must then take his sheep near to the have tried the former, are well satisfied of its utility door through which it is to pass out, and neatly and practicability. The only objection to it, is, that trim the legs, and leave not a solitary lock any-it is too heavy-requiring hard labor for two mules where as a harbor for ticks. It is absolutely neces-to draw it;-in fact two mules cannot work for any sary for him to remove from his stand to trim, length of time at it. Could we procure one of a size otherwise the useless stuff from the legs becomes intermingled with the fleece wool. In the use of the shears, let the blades be laid as flat to the skin as possible, not lower the points too much, nor cut more than from one to two inches at a clip, frequently not so much, depending on the part, and compactness of the wool. or two less, that would work easy for two mules, I am of opinion they would become more in use. Í am using six of the northern turn-cast plow, which answer an excellent purpose. The work they do is completely satisfactory. The objections to them heretofore at the south, particularly in new countries, were, they could not stand the roots in our The above instructions being designed for a be- new lands. This in a great measure depends upon ginner, we will suppose that this is his first and two things. First, their manufacture; second, the only attempt. Let his employer, when he is care used in working with them. If they are proabout it, and it will be a good while, have an eye perly made of good materials and faithfully put on all his movements, kindly and carefully direct-together, they can stand our new lands; for those ing them. After the pupil is through his first I am now using, have been constantly at work effort, you will see him smoothing out the crinkles since February, and have been plowed through and aches from his back and hips-for thus the lands of various quality and conditions; first and poor fellow will feel-and if the weather is warm second year's clearings, and stiff, rough ground, and of course it should be-wiping the dripping very rooty, with numerous stumps in it. As yet, sweat from his brow. But be easy; let him blow they are as sound and in as good order as the day awhile before he catches another sheep, for if you I commenced with them-not even a point has hurry him, long before night you will hear mur-given way. I am so much pleased with them in mured from his lips, that "shearing is a back- all respects, that I shall never be without them breaking business-it's not what it is cracked up to be," &c., &c., indicating that he is already disgusted with it, and if so, adieu to his ever arriving at skilfulness. But if he has time afforded to straighten himself, and is petted with kind compliments again so long as they can be procured on reasonable terms. In moulding or working out corn, they leave the ground in such beautiful order, that the work to be done with the hoe is much lightened and facilitated; it is the same with cotton after be tion. SUPERIOR MODE OF CURING HAMS.-COLIC IN MULES.-DOMESTIC FISH-PONDS. Barbour County, Alabama. H. SUPERIOR MODE OF CURING HAMS. AGREEABLY to your request I herewith send you the process of curing the hams I sent you in March, which recently called forth the admiration of the American Agricultural Association, and the Farmer's Club, at New York. 187 ing thinned out to a stand. The draft is light on | pudding, so much the better, as it then goes much the animal, which is a very important considera- further, and is healthier for the animal. When mules are taken out to be fed, let them get a little cool before being allowed to drink; then give them a small quantity of water, say one or two quarts, and as they cool give them more, till they finally drink as much as they desire. If the water be very cold, a handful of hot wood-ashes should be thrown into the bucket before drinking-this is generally sure to prevent any ill effects. A gill of ashes should be given to each mule or horse once a week in their feed. Ashes keep the system open, and kill worms and bots in the intestines. It would be better to stable the mules, especially when feeding during very hot weather, in copious dewy nights, and in cold rainy weather. Their principal meal should be at night. During the long, hard working days of the season, they ought to have two hours rest at noon, and one to one and a half hour's rest in the shorter ones. I made a pickle of two quarts of salt, to which I added one ounce of summer savory, one ditto sweet marjoram, one ditto allspice, half ditto saltpetre, and one pound brown sugar; boiled the whole together, and applied the mixture boiling hot, to one hundred pounds of hams, and kept them in the pickle three or four weeks. My process of smoking was not the most expensive, but may not be the less available on that account. I smoked the hams in a seed cask, with one head in, with a small hole for the smoke to pass out, hung my hams to the head, and used about a peck of mahogany sawdust for fuel, which I happened to have on hand for packing goods. I WM. STICKNEY. smoked them but one week. Boston, May 6th, 1846. COLIC IN MULES. I HAVE been a constant reader of your paper from its commencement, but have not yet seen an article on a subject of great importance to us Southerners, namely, the cause of so many of our mules and horses dying with the colic. We are the most unfortunate people in the world as regards our stock. I lose three, and sometimes five mules every year by the colic; every day there is a mule brought to me from the field sick with the colic. Now I cannot see the reason of this, unless it is our mode of treating them. Our treatment is this. We plow them hard; give them as much water as they can drink when they are taken out to be fed; feed them in a lot in which there is a trough with plenty of corn in it: no stable for our mules whatever. You would confer a favor if you or some of your correspondents would enlighten us on the subject, for it is a matter of importance that we should know how to prevent this disease. GASTON. Tallahassee, Florida. No treatment of mules or horses, that we are acquainted with, would be more sure to induce colic than such as is spoken of above by our correspondent; and if he wishes a preventive, he must change his system, for no medicine would be efficacious under it. To water a mule or horse when hot frequently produces colic; and to feed him hard, dry corn, will do the same. Oats are much better feed in every respect, and may be given dry without danger in any quantity, though it is better to grind, or at least soak them in water a few hours before feeding. Oats make tougher muscle and harder flesh to work on than corn. If corn is used, it ought to be ground with the cob, and mixed up with water, slightly salted, a day or so before being used. If it ferments previous to feeding, or if it can be boiled like mush or hasty DOMESTIC FISH-PONDS.-No. 1. On the continent of Europe, particularly in France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands, the rearing of fish affords a regular source of profit to landed proprietors, and the establishment of artificial ponds, and the management of this species of game, are well understood. In most of the cities and larger towns, the stalls in the markets are furnished with two or more tubs of water, crowded with living fresh-water fish, in excellent condition, but painfully panting and struggling in their confinement, which are obtained from private fishponds, where they are regularly bred for the market, in a similar manner as our farmers' wives breed geese, ducks, and other fowls. In most parts of the United States there are either natural ponds, or lakes, or waste places, capable of being converted into artificial ponds, which, if properly stocked and attended to, would greatly add to the luxuries and prosperity of the country, and would furnish the whole population, both in the country and in cities, with an increased supply, at all times, of wholesome and nutritious food. Few acts of our government, or of private individuals, would be more praiseworthy than to introduce into our waters, from Europe, a quantity of tench and carp, for the purpose of breeding, or to bring the celebrated white fish, muscalonge, Mackinaw trout, and other tribes of our great lakes, to the ponds or lakes nearer the sea-board, for the same object. On this point I shall speak more in detail hereafter. A few years ago Dr. Gottlieb Boccius published a pamphlet on the management of fresh-water fish in Germany, with a view of making them a source of profit to landed proprietors. From this work, and several other sources, I have derived the information which follows in this, and will be continued in the succeeding numbers, with a hope that an attempt will be made to introduce this branch of rural economy into this country. Formation of the Ponds.-As the first formation of fish-ponds is expensive if the proprietor has to excavate the ground, it is desirable to choose a natural hollow, to form an embankment where necessary, and to provide a feeder leading into it. If these ponds are not made entirely for profit, it will |