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2 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 :