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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, NOVEMBER 15, 1882.
19
English language that far excel it. This ode
was especially admired by all of our Ameri
can poets.
As to the poetic construction of Mr. Hayne’s
verse, it shows a knowledge ofthe lawsof ver
sification, and close study. He is not a care
less composer. This is evidenced in the rhyth
mical flow of most of his verse, and the fre
quent resort to alliteration to obtain the nec
essary impression. Frequently this artifice
of alliteration is too obvious. To be most ef
fective, alliteration should not be so perspic
uous as to be easily detected. “ 'Tis the high
est art to hide all art.” Such verses as the
following are found in nearly every stanza
Mr. Hayne has written:
“Through sylvan shades and solemn silences.''
“And die at dawning down wild woodland ways.”
“Pealed o'er this populous earth perpetually."
His rhymes are generally correct. He sel
dom strains a word, a common mistake amopg
many poets. With a few exceptions his dic
tion is clear, not encumbered with foreign
phrases or obsolete words and expressions.
I cannot here enter intoa detailed criticism
of his works. It is sufficient to say he has
added much to the literature of his country,
much we could ill spare. But with all this it
is indeed a wonder that Mr. Hayne is so lit
tle appreciated among his own Southerners.
The South has yet to be awakened in this one
great particular, the encouragement of her
own meritorious literary personages, if she
ever expects to take her niche in the temple
of an educated and classical people.
Pos Bata oa Fat-man's Farming.
JlgrtyuUm[*l
Editor Southern World :
LISTEN.
'Possum up de gum stump,
'Ooonle In de holler;
Our crop around dis nnyborhud
Am powerful hard to waller.
De gray land perduce de cotton,
De red land de corn,
De sandy ground de big yam Inters
Bot de black land beats um alL
Yes, hit’s bo; corn, cotton, sugar cane,
oats an’ taters air turning out a hummin’
yield on the black land this year—done gone
clean beyond the hopes an’ expectoshuns ov
the most sanguin’—the result ov hard work
an’ er kind providence.
Hit wus thought at one time hear that the
big rains in July ah' August, an’ the big
obnoxious storm in September, would nock
us outen ar good crop tills year, but such is
not the case. I can’t understand how crops
can be so good under such extraordinary
disadvantages; but they air good. Hit is an
ondoubted fact, an’ I feel like sayin’—an'
don’t yeu fergit it—in order to impress it
more deeply upon your memory. I hev red
the address of Hon. F. C. Furman on inten'
sive farmin’ delivered at Marietta, Georgia,
an’ published in your issue of October 15th
an’ hit kinder waiked me up—an’ hitoughter
waik up every other farmer who is sleeping
over his interests, goin’ blindly along plantin
croparter crop on the same land an’ not
restorin’ to this land any of the ferterlizin’
qualities which these crops air continually
drawin’ out an’ leaving no fertilizin' deposit
except the stalks and grass, which is a poor
paymenton the amountdrawn outeach year.
Hit is just as Mr. Furman says; the richest
bank in the world would soon become bank
rupt whar it is all drafts an no deposits. Com
postin' at home is the thing, an’ the formu-
lar furnished by Mr. Furman is erbout as
good er one as 1 nows ov—fur I tried some
thin’ like hit er year er so ergo on er small
patch, an’ hit slapped the cotton bolls rite
square on the stalk.
This extensive use of what is commonly
called commercial ferterlizer, (in other
words goanno,) is er bad habit fur farmers to
contract, an' ef kep up will enrich the man
ufacturers an’ bankrupt our land. Any
good ascid fosfate mixed with barn-yard ma
nure, muck, cotton seed an’ the rakins er
bout the farm, will supply the land with all
of the ferterlizin’ qualities hit needs, an'
cost er heap less an’ give better results than
any goanno that can be bought fer fifty dol
lars erton.
My Bill has hitched on to the idear of com
post ferterlizin', an’ he says git out en his
way—all he wants is elbo rumunce, fur he
is gwine to make one uv the biggest crops
next year ever bearn tell uv, an’ I believe
him to, fur Bill is er stunner when he gits
red hot at it—hard to beat—regular rusher,
none er yer milk or water sorter fellows er
bout him, an’ I am proud of him too, fur
they say he is er chip off er the old block,
well now, gimme your hand an les shake till
arter Christmas, I am gwine take a big dram
Christmas day, maybe you air too, well les
drink to the health of all good farmers and
wish them prosperity an’ good crops fur 1883.
Yours thru thick and thin,
Pos Buts.
Macon county, Ala.
Ground Pens.
As this is the usual time for harvesting this
crop, doubtless many farmers nre wondering
why it is that so many of the pods are only
popi, though grown on good soil. We re
member one year (we had just commenced
to farm,) our ground pea patch of one acre
was pitched on a piece of land that had been
made rich by penning cattle on it several
years before. The growth of vines was luxu
riant and gave promise of a big crop. In No
vember the fattening hogs were turned in and
in a few days they had rooted up hundreds of
vines that seemed to be literally covered as
they lay with full plump pods. Surprised that
that the hogs bad not eaten them, we found
on examination that nine-tenths of the pods
were empty, mere pops, and the hogs seemed
actually to have turned up their notes at the
cheat and left the unprofitable work. Be
fore planting our next crop we saw it stated
that lime was a dominating element in the
production of ground peas, and that a soil
deficient in lime would not produce well-
filled pods. We planted the adjoining piece
of ground tho next season manured with
acid phosphate of lime and produced a re
markably tine crop of nuts, with scarcely a
defective pod.
Oak and hickory land produce better crops
of ground peas than long-leaf pine land be
cause the former contains more lime and
potash, the latter being also important.
li.
Does It Pny to Sow Wheat T
The question is intended to refer to the
cotton growing region ol the South and not
to the whole country. It is well-known that
in several of the great Northwestern States
it is the leading money crop, and is more or
less profitable as far south as the northern
portion of the Gulf, States. It may be, and
is grown for home consumption in all the
granite formation of South Carolina and
Georgia. Some of the largest yields of wheat
record have been realized in Middle
Georgia, by means of careful selection and
preparation of soil, high fertilization and
with the favor of good seasons.
We hold that whenever the soil is reason
ably suited to its culture and the farmer has
a considerable family of biscuit-loving child
ren, be should endeavor to produce a home
supply of wheut. The relative importance
of any article of home consumption is meas
ured by thequautity required to supply that
consumption. One barrel of Hour to each
member of a family is a fair allowance for
one year. This will requireahout five bush
els of wheat; and if the family consists of
the average number of seven, forty bushels
will supply the requisite quantity—includ
ing seed for next sowing. The question is
will it pay to risk the uncertainty of the
crop, incu.r the expensive labor of prepara
tion, manuring, harvesting, threshing, pre
serving, ‘‘goiug to mill”—all for the object
to be gained, when the whole supply can be
purchased for fifty dollars or less? We do
not “go back” on our position in favor of
diversified crops. By no means. We still
insist that the farmer should grow every
thing that he can produce with a reasonable
degree of certainty and as cheaply as he can
buy it. There is a limit to diversifying
crops beyond whkh he ought not to go, and
this limit may or may not include wheat in
the list of crops to be cultivated—according
to the circumstances surrounding each one.
When the writer was a young farmer a neigh
bor, who was blessed with a wife and eight
children, very properly considered his wheat
crop one of the greatest importance. He
habitually applied the greater portion and,
if necessary, the whole of his cotton seed to
wheat, It was a sine qua non with him. We
had only a wife and one or two babies, and
found that it did not pay to sow wheat to
supply the small quantity of llour needed
If the rule were to produce everything re
quired for home consumption, that may be
produced, then we should make our own
sugar, sirup, tea, cheese, starch, soap, vinegar,
leather, tobacco, opium, castor-oil, etc.; we
should make our cotton and woolen cloth,
hosiery, dye stuffs and many other articles,
for all of these can be made at home.
In the greater portion of the section in
which wheat should be included in the list
of crops cultivated, it has already been sown
or will be in a few days. But in Southern
Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama, Missis
sippi and Texas, wheat is yet to be sown if
sown at all; and to the farmers of that belt
we are writing more particularly. There are
but few localities south of Columbia, Augus
ta, Macon Columbus, Montgomery and
Jackson, where wheat may be sown with
reasonable prospect of a fair yield. Now
that the oat crop has loomed up into im
portance as one of the best and most reliable
crops, would it not be better to devote the
labor, land and fertilizers that would be re
quired to put in a crop of wheat to far more
certain and more important crops ? Plant
less corn, more oats, more peas, sugar cane,
potatoes, etc., and other less doubtful crops
than wheat, and buy the few barrels of flour
needed ; raise more hogs and better cattle
and quit buying bacon, lard, and doing with
out butter and milk. In a rotation oats
supply every advantage that can be claimed
for wheat, and in addition can be produced
with much greater certainty. We believe
that one of the greatest reforms now needed
in our system of hdsbandry is in the direc
tion of stock-growing. We need better
cows, more sbe£p and goats, brood mares
and colts, swine and poultry. To secure
these we need reform in our fence laws, laws
for the protection of sheep front dogs, better
pastures, etc. R.
Commercial Fertilisers.
With the long list of different brands of
commercial fertilizers sold now-a days, the
farmer is often puzzled in making a selec
tion. Agents will soon be abroad in the
land with high analyses, flattering certifi
cates, and voluble tongues sounding the
praises of their respective brands. Notwith
standing the multiplicity of brands, com
mercial fertilizers may be easily arranged in
a very few classes:
1. Simple acid phosphates and dissolved
bones.
2. The same with potash added.
3. The same with potash and ammonia
added.
This classification is based upon the fact
these three, phosphoric acid, potash and am
monia, are the only elements that are gener.
ally more or less deficient in soils. Lime,
indeed, is often needed, but it is supplied in
all of the above classes, being an incidental
ingredient of each. Of the first-class the
ncid phosphates are usually made by treat-
ingCburleston rock with sulphuric acid, and
they vary greatly in the per centage ol phos
phoric acid made available by such treat
ment. Those brands which contain the
highest per centage arc generally cheaper in
the end than the low grades. Acid phos
phates contain little or no ammonia and no
potash unless added, but a large proportion
of sulphate of lime, which is present as a
necessary incident of manufacture. The
Charleston rock is composed almost entirely
of tribasie phosphate of lime, which contains
three equivalents of lime and one of plios
phoric acid, and is utterly insoluble in wa
ter. By the addition of sulphuric acid,
which unites with a part of the lime the tri-
basic phosphate is converted into the bi-basic
phosphate of lime—which is soluble in wa
ter—and sulphate of lime.
Dissolved bone is a term now generally re
stricted to acid phosphates that have been
made by treating recent animal bone with
sulphuric acid. It has nearly the same com
position as the first described, but in addition
contains more or less ammonia. Dissolved
bone is better for crops than simple acid
phosphate for two reasons: 1. Because of
the presence of ammonia derived from the
albumen of the fresh bone. 2. Because the
phosphate that is not rendered immediately
soluble by treatment with sulphuric acid
becomes available to plants in tne course of
a shorter period than the undissolved phos
phate, owing to the porous character of the
fresh bone aud the presence of organic mat
ter whose decomposition aids in dissolving
the remaining phosphate. We consider dis
solved bone to be worth more to the farmer
than simple acid phosphate, by several cents
per pound of the available phosphoric acid
present, and we would always insist on pur
chasing the former by preference, unless the
price be out of proportion.
The term superphosphate of lime means the
same as acid phosphate. When ammoniating
material is added to an acid phosphate the
latter is then usually called an ammoniated
superphosphate. If the base be dissolved
bone the result is ammoniated dissolved bone.
But the latter term is frequently used when
the base of the fertilizer is simple acid phos
phate, and the purchaser is liable to be de
ceived by the name. None but a chemist
can determine the true composition and base
of a fertilizer. There is nothing in a name,
and fertilizers are not classified according to
name but according to composition. But
some manufacturers are in the habit of call
ing acid phosphates—dissolved bones, and
ammoniated acid phosphates—ammoniated
dissolved bones.
Potash is usually added in the form of
kainit, or German salts. On the granite
lands of Middle Georgia, potash is not gen
erally required unless the soil is much worn
or very high manuring is practiced. In high
farming where a very large amount of fertil
izers is to be applied per acre, all three of the
principal elements—phosphoric acid, potash
and ammonia—should be present. In other
words the manure should be wlmt is called a
complete manure, containing all the principal
elements in due proportion. A well bal
anced soil may be benefitted by a moderate
application of phosphoric acid—the element
which is generally most deficient—without
either of the others; but three or four hun
dred or a thousand pounds of acid phosphate
alone per acre would destroy the proportion.
A large part of the phosphoric acid will be
unappropriated because its complement of
potash and ammonia is not available.
Hence, when a heavy application of fertil
izers is to be made, composts furnish the
safest and most profitable form in which to
apply it, becauso if properly prepared they
are the most complete manures. R.
INQUIRY t'OI.UHN.
Bermuda Grass.
Editor. Southern World.—What is the
best time (i. e. season) for planting Bermuda
grass? Can we plant it during the fall sea
son? W. T. Hamer.
Salem, Miss.
Answer.—See Southern "World for No
vember 1st for reply to this question. ^
Tomboll Grass.
Will some one inform us through Southern
World if Bermuda and Tombcll is the same
grass. It seems from tho description of the
Bermuda that it is the same or very nearly.
A grass in l’ickens county, called Tombcll,
which makes a good pasture and hardly can
be killed out when well set except by shade.
Suuscriuer.
Sunny Dale, Pickens county, S. C.
Answer.—We have never heard of tho
Tombell (?) grass. Will some reader answer
the above enquiry ?
Johnson Grass.
Editor Southern World.—Where can the
seed of the Johnson grass he procured, at
what price, how much sow to tho acre, and
when to be sowed.
I do not remember to have seen nny state,
ment ns to these facts in your paper, hence
I write. B. B. Edwards.
Dresden, Tenn.
Answer.—Seed of Johnson grass can be
procured of Mark W. Johnson & Co. of At
lanta. Price *1.00 l>er bushel and one bush
el will sow an acre. Tho best time to sow is
in the fall but better sow in spring than wait
until next fall. R.
Russian White Oats.
Editor Southern World.—I see in your
paper of the 15th that you advertise the Rus
sian White Oats. They are anerfect swindle
in the South; all got the blaSt. Many have
tried them and utterly failed. This will
ruin the merits of your paper with us. We
know whereof we speak. J. B. Allen.
Oxford, Ala.
Answer.—The editor nor the proprietors
of The World are responsible for the qual
ity of the seeds or other goods advertised in
these columns. If it were otherwise we
would be compelled to close our columns
against all advertisements. The mere publi
cation of an advertisement docs not imply
an endorsement on the part of the paperpub-
lishing. When the editor knows that an
article advertised is meritorious be will be
very apt to say so, if be knows nothing of its
merits he can have nothing to say. If our
correspondent will read the article in the
same paper (Oct. 16th) by the writer, enti
tled “Seeds for the South,” he will find that
we gave our readers our views on the general
policy of planting Northern seeds and espec
ially oats; so, that, if he found poison in our
advertising colums he might have found an
antidote, or at least a caution in our editorial.
R.
Pearl Wlltet-Forein* Cows.
Editor Southern World.—Please do me
the kindness to answer in its columns the
following questions:
1. Does Pearl Millet make a good hay or
fodder, and if so at what stage of growth
should it be cut?
2. Is there any danger from feeding it with
the seed on it? ■
3. Does it make good feed cut with a feed-
cutter and fed green ?
4. Is there any known mode for forcing
cows into season ahead of their natural peri
od, and if so, wbatis that mode ?
I am a subscriber to the Notional Live-Stock