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tilling poor soil in corn. Os all the labor per
formed in the United States, this is the poorest
paid to individuals and the public. Practically,
it makes poor land poorer still; while poor peo
ple are apt to become about as poor as they can
be. It is unpleasant to write about poverty, or
even think about it. But when a curable mal
ady is fastened upon a friend and his family,
although the task may be unpleasant, it is better
to go to their relief than to shun them. The
owners of poor land in the South are not half
so poor, nor so sick of farming as they imagine.
They simply use their farms in the wrong way.
When corn-ground is thin and unpromising,
they plant a double quantity to get the bushels
they want; looking to corn alone for an income.
This mistake throws away full half of their labor,
and helps kill the old plantation. Stock it full
with calves that will become good cows in two
or three years ; when one hundred calves that
cost three dollars a-head, will become worth
thirty dollars a-head, or three thousand dollars.
Don’t be afraid that well-raised young cows will
not sell. They will pay fifty per cent, interest,
and keep them on your improving farm. Such
land and stock will give an easy fortune.
D. Lee.
For the Rural Southerner and Plantation.
Lucern for Georgia Farmers.
Knowing that you place a high estimate upon
every practical scheme, proposition, argument
or suggestion which points to the prosperity
and independence of the producers of our State,
your correspondent takes occasion to repeat
what he has often asserted in social interviews
with farmers, and fortifies his opinion by quo
ting the language of the editor of the Turf,
Held and Fann in regard to the value of lucern,
as a forage plant, for our small, as well as large
farms. We entirely agree with the editor in
his expression of surprise at the tardiness of
the people on this subject. He says: “It is
surprising how slowly this magnificent forage
plant, which for untold centuries has been for
Southern Europe- and indeed, all the countries
surrounding the Mediterranean—what maize is
in America, the mainspring of Agriculture, has
made its way in the estimation of the American
farmer.
For small land-holders, and more particularly
for suburban residents whose holdings are too
restricted to permit a permanent pasture, and
for a country, which, like ours, is subjected to
periodical droughts of long duration, there is
not in the whole catalogue of plants cultivated
as food for our domestic animals a single one at
all comparable with Lucern.” * *
An acre in Lucern has been known to keep
five cows and three horses in fine condition
from May until the end of October, (we would
modify this statement by introducing April, and
extending the period to December.)
J. J. Toon.
Atlanta, Ga.
AVERAGE WHEAT CROPS OF ENGLAND.
Mr. Thos. C. Scott, King’s Arms Yard, Moor
gate street, London, writes as follows to the
leading journal: We have now sufficient data to
enable us to come to a safe conclusion as to
whether or not the wheat crop of this year is
under or over an average. But what is an aver
age? In regard to wheat, 30 bushels an acre is
the rate usually adopted ; but it is only an as
sumption, based upon individual observation and
experience over very limited areas. To arrive
at a sounder solution of the question, 1 have
taken the areas under wheat in each county in
England, multiplied them by the generally ad
milted normal rate of produce of each county
respectively, and the aggregate number of
bushels thus obtained, divided by the number of
acres to which they apply, gives’ the nearest ap
proach our present data admit of to a satisfac
tory answer to the question “ What is an aver
age crop?” and, thus tested, it turns out to be
29 1-10 bushels an acre.
The State Grange of Nebaska is putting in
machinery at Plymouth for the manufacture of
plows, cultivators, headers, harvesters and other
agricultural implements.
A quart bottle of Maderia wine which was put
up and hermetically sealed by Robert Morris, of
Revolutionary Treasury fame, in 1774, will be
shown at the Centennial Exhibition.
m W4L S& WWW
WE aAKDKM.
Beans like a dry and rather light soil, though
they will do well in any garden soil if not set
too early in the Spring. Plant when the ground
is tolerably firm and dry. Dwarf varieties plant
ed in drills, one foot apart, two inches deep, and
seeds set in drills two to three inches apart.—
Running Beans, plant a little later than dwarf;
plant in hills about three feet apart with pole in
centre of drill.
Beets.—The soil should be rich, mellow and
deep. Plant in drills about two inches deep and
the rows about twelve to fifteen inches apart; the
seeds in drill about two inches apart.
Cabbage require a deep rich soil and thorough
working. The large varieties require to be plant
ed about three feet apart; the small, early sorts
from twelve to eighteen inches apart.
Sweet Corn.—The earliest good, sweet Corn
is the Minnesota ; following about ten days be
tween is Rosell’s Prolific. Moore’s Early Con
cord and Crosby’s Early are good early varieties.
Cucumbers.—Make rich hills of well-rotted
manure, two feet in diameter, and plant a dozen
or more seeds, covering half-inch deep. Make
the hills six feet apart. Don’t plant till the soil
is warm. Improved Long Green is the earliest
and one of the best. The early Russian is small,
very productive and the earliest of all. The
Early Green Cluster is quite productive and es
teemed for pickles.
Lettuce.—Sow in open ground as early as pos
sible. The Victoria Cabbage is hardy and fine
for early sowing; Carter’s Giant White is superb,
large and exceedingly tender; Neapolitan Cab
bage very large, and best variety for Summer.
Melons.—The same culture as recommended
for cucumber will insure success. Ameng the
best varieties are the Black Spanish and Moun
tain Sweet.
Musk Melons.—White Japanese Nutmeg is
the best variety.
Onions.—Seeds must have a clean and very
rich soil, or they will not do well enough to pay
for the trouble. Use well-rotted manure freely,
and be sure to get the seeds in as early as possi
ble in the Spring, no matter if it is ever so cold
and unpleasant, for if onions do not get a good
growth before hot, dry weather the crop is sure
to be a failure. Thin them out early and keep
the soil mellow and clear of weeds, and if your
seed is good you will have a large crop. The
onion is very remunerative, and it will not do to
slight them. Sow in shallow drills not less than
a foot apart. When the young onions are three
or four inches high, thin them so they will stand
about two inches or more apart. Disturb the
roots of onions as little as possible, either in
thinning or hoeing, and never hoe the earth to
ward them to cover a hill as we do most other
things. Four pounds of seed are sufficient for an
acre. It is doubtless known to most of our
readers that it has been considered difficult to
grow onions from seed at the South, because the
warm weather checks their growth before bulbs
are formed; but the plan usually pursued is to
plant what is called onion sets in the Spring,
which produce good onions and are used exten
sively in the South.
Okra.—Sow the seed in the open ground about
two inches deep, and then keep the ground clean
and mellow.
Peas are very hardy and should be put in the
ground as early as the ground can be got ready.
Radishes.—Sow in sandy soil.
Squash.—Mellow, rich, warm soil is best;
manure in the hill. Sow a dozen seeds in eaeh
hill, and when the danger from bugs is over pull (
up all but three or four. The Hubbard is the
best Winter squash, and can be kept till May if
put in a cold cellar. The Crook Neck is one of
the best Summer squashes.
Tomatoes.— Hubbard’s Curled Leaf is the
earliest, and this is its only merit, for it is small
and far from being smooth. The General Grant
is an excellent early tomato; but Hathaway s I
Excelsior is early and the best we are acquaint
ed with. It is smooth, solid and of good flavor,
excellent color and productive. Pinching off a
portion of the side branches and stopping others
beyond where the fruit is formed, hastens the
ripening very much. The soil for early tomatoes
should not be too rich. The tomato may be
made very pretty by training on a fence or trel
lis, like a grape vine.
For the Rural Southerner and Plantation.
THE FRUIT GARDEN.
If a new plantation of Strawberries has not
been set out, it should be done at once. With
us Strawberries do very well transplanted in
March. No berries should be expected the first
season. Set in rows two feet apart, eighteen
inches in the row, on rich, well prepared soil,
and keep well tilled and free from runners until
first of June, then cover the ground between the
plants with straw, leaves, or similar mulching.
A splendid crop will be insured the following
Spring. Wilson’s Albany and Charles Downing
are varieties that will be sure to give a large
yield of good berries.
Black-cap Raspberries can yet be set out. The
North side of the garden fence is a good loca
tion. These are propagated from the tops of
preceding year’s growth, and can be set out un
til April first.
Grapes and Pears should have been already in
the ground ; but, with care, can be transplanted
with certainty of success any time before the
leaf is opened. The same may be said of Ap
ples, Pltims, Cherries and Quinces.
The Quince wants a rich, moist soil, and an
annual dressing of salt pays.
The Wild-goose and Damson Plum only will
resist the ravages of the curculio. The Orange
Queen is the best variety.
Os Cherries, only Early Richmond, English
Mondo, May Duke and DeKalb—which is pro
bably identical with Early Richmond—are the
only varieties worthy of our care. The Heart
Cherries and the fine Plums must have the per
sonal care of the skilled grower.
The Kittatiny Blackberry I regard the best of
all the cultivated varieties.
William Jennings.
Atlanta, Georgia.
For the Rural Southerner and Plantation.
PRUNING APPLE TREES.
Mr. Van Dyke, in his article in the Rural
Southerner, differs from my experience in prun
ing Apple trees in one material point. I think
the middle, main stem should not be cut off or
disturbed, but let it be allowed, as he says, to
branch low, just so the fruit does not touch the
ground. Do not plow so as to rub the tree or its
branches.
Peach trees should have their limbs so short
ened that they cannot be broken with the weight
of fruit; that will cause them to cover the trunk,
that the sun will not hurt it.
Raspberry vines should have been kept from
running over four feet last Summer ; but if ne
glected then, they should now be cut to only be
three or four feet high ; and on the North of a
fence or shade will thrive better than either B.E.
or W. Should be worked and manured with rot
ten wood.
Your Paper, at the price, should be the organ
of the State Agricultural Society, and of the
Grangers—containing all the proceedings of a
public nature of these organizations. Put these
in the size and form of the reports of the State
Agricultural Society, and propose to publish all
the Grangers wish, and my opinion you will
have a larger paying subscription than any other
Southern farming paper; and if one dellar is
not enough, charge what will justify, and offer
no chromos or any thing to induce subscribers
but a good pamphlet, worth reading and pre
serving. Cherokee.
AGENTS WANTEDI
To canvass for our popular and fast-selling
subscription books. We manufacture our own
books, hence can afford to sell them cheapar and
allow larger commissions than any other house.
For terms, address Southern Publishing Co.,
Atlanta, Ga.
For the Rural Southerner and Plantation.
Report of Fruit Committee of the Atlanta
Pomological Society.
strawberries.
The following varieties of strawberries were
exhibited during the season commencing May
16 and ending June 12th: Eliza Seedling,
Trollope’s Victoria, Charles Downing, Long
worth’s Prolific, Wilson’s Albany, Lenning’s
White, Russel’s Prolific, Kentucky, Agricultu
rist, Triumphe de Gand, and Fillmore.
The Society recommend, in the order named,
the following varieties as best adapted to this
region :
Ist, Wilson’s Albany; 2d, Charles Downing ;
3d, Triumphe de Gand.
The Eliza Seedling is a berry of good flavor,
but not a heavy bearer. Longworth’s Prolific,
an early and generally a profitable variety, the
berries are not large after the first crop ripens.
Fillmore is recommended as a good late variety.
Triumphe de Gand, a standard variety. Rus
sel’s Prolific, a large berry of fine'flavor, but
not a sure crop. The plants of the Eliza Seed
ling are vigorous and stand the summer well.
raspberries.
The following list of raspberries were on ex
hibition, commencing May 30th and ending
June 19th : Virginia Bl .ck Cap, Clark, Mam
moth Cluster, Doolittle, and Catawissa.
The following varieties are recommended in
the order named:
Ist, Mammoth Cluster; 2d, Virginia Black
Cap ; 3d, Doolittle.
blackberries.
Georgia Mammoth, Wilson’s Early, Kittatinny,
White Blackberry, Lawton, and Dewberry.
Georgia Mammoth was selected as the best
early variety for general culture, and the Kitta
tinny as the best variety ripening in July.
mulberries.
Hick’s Ever-bearing was named by the Socie
ty as the best variety for general culture.
apples.
During the month of June the following va
rieties of early apples were on exhibition : Red
Astrachan, Yellow May and Red June. In July:
Julian, Horse, Striped June, Yellow June, Far
rar’s Summer, Rhodes’ Orange, Wax, Cheese,
Siberian Crab, Mary Chester, Striped Sweeting,
July Beauty, and White’s Seedling. During
August: Horse, Julian, Rhodes’ Orange, Far
rar’s Summer, Mary Moyer. September: Car
ter’s Blue, Buncombe, Nickajack, Oconee Green
ing, Horse, Farrar’s Summer, Golden Russet t,
Yates, Jeff. Davis, Stevenson's Winter, and
Abraham.
The following list of varieties ripening in the
order named, have been selected by the Society
as succeeding best in this locality, viz.:
Yellow May, Red Astrachan, Red June, Yel
low June, Early Harvest, Rhodes’ Orange, Ju
lian, Yellow Horse, Farrar’s Summer, Taunton,
Hamilton, Kentucky Queen, Mangum, Bun
combe, Golden Russet, Oconee Greening, Yellow
English, Nickajack, Yates, and Shockley.
remarks.
The horse Apple was on exhibition from June
26th to September 14th, in quality equal to Red
Astrachan or Red June. Farrar’s Summer has
been ripe and on exhibition from July 11 th to
October 3d, in quality one of the best.
PEACHES.
The first peaches were exhibited June 19th—
variety Hale's Early. During the months of
June and July the following varieties were on
exhibition : Amelia, Early Tillotson, Reeves’ Fa
vorite, Chinese Cling, Early Crawford, Late Ad
mirable, Canary, Nan Young, George IV,Camak’s
Incomparable Admirable, Eariy Sweetwater,
Susquehannah, Georgia Cling, Old Mixon Cling,
Orange Cling, Lemon Cling. During August,
the list fell off to Old Mixon Cling, Orange
Cling, Druid Hill, Lemon Cling, McEnery’s
Large White. Hale’s Early was on exhibition
from June 19th to July 25th.
The Society selected the following varieties of
peaches as best suited to this locality, ripening
in the order named :