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A RANDOM SHOT.
Editors Southern Cultivator I feel de
sirous of holding communion with all the one
horse planters throughout the So-Called, for my
sympathies are in full accord with them, and se
lect by your permission, your most excellent and
welcome journal as the medium. Let us ex
change ideas, revise and correct each other’s pro
gramme for the ensuing year—adopt that which
is good and applicable to our own peculiar local
ity and circumstances, and reject that which is,
not applicable. I conceive that every planter
of forethought and consideration has, ere this
laid down for himself some particular mode of
operation for the next year—how much he wish
es to cultivate—of what he will plant—the kind
of tools to be used, and kind of fertilizers. And
if we can be of mutual aid, let us discard all
forms and ceremonies, and do our level best. —
r I here is no class of people in greater need of
aid, sympathy and wise counsel, than the indus
trious energetic one-horse man. The merchant
tells us that the country is bankrupt; the factor
tells us he is in receipt of none of our esteemed
favors; public rumor tells us that cotton is tlat
and not likely to recover, owing, we were told
some time back, to the European war and low
price of gold, but of late to the huge crop that
is made; and common sense tells us that we are
in a scrape.
In this section, it is impossible to hire help,
consequently every one has to cultivate his
patch with his own labor, assisted by his family,
and I think there are but few families who are
in possession of a small lot of ground who are
not able to support themselves, with their labor
and energies well directed. I propose to give
my individual programme for the next year, sub
ject of course to improvement from the sugges
tions of others more experienced and of deeper
forethought. Plant this fall about one acre in
cane—rows six feet apart. By having the rows
this distance, you can make a crop of corn be
tween them, and cut off the stalks after the corn
hardens, and lay your cane by in full time to
make a good crop. This year’s experience has
demonstrated that fact to my entire satisfaction.
The use of stable or cow-pen manure improves
the cane very materially. One acre in cane will
make sugar and molasses for your family, and
enough to sell to pay for the cultivation. Let
the neighbors combine, if desired, and purchase
a mill which will cost from $75 to $175, owin-
SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR
Ito the size and quality; or the biggest one-horse
| man in the neighborhood might make the pur
cliase, and his neighbors might assist in taking
off and grinding their crops, with but little ex
pense and no outlay of money. So much for
the sugar and molasses, which every family feels
compelled to have, and which draws so heavily
on the small amount of rents that we receive.—
Plant about eight acres in corn, plow deep and
subsoil deep. By all means prepare the lot well.
If you have not the fertilizers to mix with the
soil in breaking it up, it pays well to apply at
different times as you cun save it, even when
the corn is bunching to tassel. We will get
from 30 to 50 bushels per acre. Plow deep and
subsoil about one acre for Chinese sugar cane.
After the land is broken up and pulverized well,
sow broadcast for forage, for the horse, sow and
pigs. There is nothing, in my judgment, that
keeps the hogs growing and more thrifty as a
summer and fall diet than the sorghum. It is
line for all kinds of stock and requires no farth
er attention than given above. With these sim
ple items of home products, we are beyond the
reach of want.
As for cotton, I will suggest that we plant
one, two or three acres, as circumstances may
justify. Prepare well the ground intended for
cotton, and with the application of home manu
factured compost, we can safely calculate on a
bale per acre. The kind of seed to be planted is
a considerable item. I prefer the Dickson Se
lect it matures more rapidly and earlier, which
is very important, and bears crowding hi the drill
and rows more than any other variety with
which I am acquainted. Tlius much for the
cotton, which gives the means #o purchase flour,
(lotliing and other necessary comforts for the
family, and a little left for the Doctor, and to
liquidate old claims, if any. m
I have no experience with the patent
fertilizers, except Zell’s AmflMted Super
phosphate of Bone, and confess that I am much
pleased with it. I applied 300 lira, to tho acre,
putting it deep and bedding on it. There is.
however, no necessity for us to go to the expei*e
of buying patent fertilizers, if we will but exer
cise a little common sense, and go to the trouble
o looking up and housing the wastage about
our barns and lots, which I think is ample in
nine cases out of ten to satisfy annually the de
mands of the amount of land designated above.
There is also the cotton seed to look to, and of
equal importance, the corn-cobs. I mentioned
