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202 THE: SOl TIIEItIV CI'LTSVATOU. Editors Southern Cultivator : —After reading other .journals of a similar character, (any of which vi 1 pay double theil* subscription price) 1 am the more thorough ly satisfied as to the benefits that we are to receive front the Southern Celt./rotor. It is a home concern, and will, very naturally, introduce matters and things that noecs sarily interest us. And, as hitherto, will, no doubt, con tinue to speak of them in that plain, comprehensive style, that will enable us toi understand itarich lessons of in structlon. Why not make it the ncuelus around which, the lovers of Agriculture, horticulture, household econo my, and the fireside, (and who is not a lover of all these) ean congregate and feast over the brightening prospects of a blighted laud. Its ionn, size, and mechanical arrangement, are per fect. Its visits are the more highly appreciated, as they are only made once a month, and hence, command care ful study, and diligent perusal I have but one objection to any feature it presents.— The fictitious signatures. Why should this be persisted in? Docs respect or good sense commend it? If so, then all should be fictitious, and every possible induce ment offered to educate experts at guessing. The man •who gives his practice, can sign his name. The man •who writes theory, must have a chance to dodge while die watches the effect. Our conclusions are easily and satisfucfcnily formed, ■when we see the names of Lee, Dickson, Van Buren, .Gift and others. We,can go to work confidently, and rCven invest money upon their suggestions. When I •iTCad a good article over the signature of Amicus, Pano la, Vox, 11. R., etc., I feel a sense of humiliation. Be 4>idec, I am left to my own judgement, and to experiment cautiously, if I remain In prudential bounds. Hence, .time and space is lessened in value, for I am not benefit ed as I might, otherwise, have been. There is PEE DEE, for instance, which, to me, is as outlandish, and unmean itig, *s PEE GEE, wljo almost insures the life of your horse that dies under his proscription. Then comes Old Amateur, Young Farmer, Young Sheppcrd. I feel in terested in knowing how old or how young, Then we have More Anon. When ? Progress, lfow far *? Twiggs. What kind? And Acorn. Os what stock?— \ou may plead modesty —a virtue I highly prize—but this should not deprive us of manliness, fairness, and that praeticaPsense of justice we owe to others as social beings. Whatever others may think of this modesty, I don’t know but that there may be behind it, “I am sir oracle,” my light, passing over, should fructify the ver dent. I would not say a word to discourage one of the ■many worthy contributors to the Cultivator, and would persuade them to lend their full strength to the cause, a cause for which they should not be ashamed, but with a sense of honest pride and noble manliness, bear whatev er responsibilities may rest upon the helpless in a cause that must eventually triumph. In battling for this noble purpose, throw off reserve, and all shyness. This will secure respect, give confidence, and insure a fraternal feeling. Farmers ought to be like brothers, as they have to con tend against the combinations of other classes. W e can SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. combine too, and through the Cultivator, as a common medium, not only greatly strengthen and facilitate our enterprises, by relating our experiments, and interchang ing views, but protect each other from thq unfair deal ings, and (too frequently) fraud, that is palmed off upon the unsuspecting, with impunity. Reckless specu lators and defrauders will be shy of us when they find that we have the moral strength, and the disposition to communicate to the brotherhood such circumstances as are mentioned by Grant, and even a supposed imposi tion, as in the case of W. J. Parks, (which I hope is ami cully an I satisfactorily settled). I see that Mr. Parks, in taking his better half like ma ny other men, unfortunately fails to discover, and, con sequently, loses the enjoyment of her intrinsic worth. But enough. Come, come, let the thousands of strong, brotherly hands unite in giving the “Old Cultivator” a continuous push, with hearty good will. Let us look on and enjoy its onward movement, as ipcareers in its glorious pathway of light and blessing, gatheiing its tens of thous ands supporters and admirers, as it dispenses its good feasts to the joyous and happy million. Yours, truly, ‘ W. T. COLQUITT Bowden , Geo. As editors are sometimes told secrets, we would state that i- great variety of motives induce our correspondents to write over assumed signatures, but, so far as we have discovered, no unworthy ones. We believe the prevail ing one is true, genuine modesty. “E’en their errors lean to virtue’s side.”— Eds. So. Cult. IMPORTANCE OF SOWING GOOD SEEDS. “As ye sow, so shall ye reap,” was never more true than to-day. Crop after crop having been taken from our fields for scores of years, without a sufficient applica tion of manure, the elements of fertility originally in the soil, have become partially exhausted, so that much smaller crops, or of a poorer quality, are now obtained than formerly ; and we cannot afford to have any of these elements, still remaining, consumed by the growth of weeds or poor grain. A\ by is it that the corn crop is as good now in all parts of the country as ever ? In those parts of New England where I am acquainted, it has been better for the last ten years than in any previous decade, and the quality of corn, I believe, is fully as good in all parts of the coun try now as it ever was ; but neither the one nor the oth er is equally true of any one of our other cereals, except iu certain small localities ; and why is it? I think it is because more care has been taken in saving and prepar ing the seed for our corn-fields ; or rather because we have been able to select the largest, earliest ripened and plumpest kernels for seed. lill recently, wheat, rye, oats and bailey, have been sown big, plump or small, weed-seeds and all; and as like begets likc,’#pur crops have been deteriorating in quality, and continually growing less in quantity. Rea soning from analogy , I think there is no necessity for this ; and speaking from observation, I think I can say I know there is not. In the vicinity of Randolph, Vt., the farmers have made increased effort for several years past to sow only the largest, earliest ripened and plumpest kernels of wheat, with the best result as to quality and