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2 show what immense wealth has, for so long a period of time, been altogether wasted or neglected to such an extent as to render it of no material service to the producer; and even now the agricul tural section of America is so impov erished that few have the means to purchase necessary machinery for the manufacture of the raw material. May we not hojjc that machinery will be improved so at to cheapen the cost, in order to further utilize this great pro duct of our soil t L. B. Morel. From Southern Firm and Home. Lucerne as a Green Crop for Stock. Mr. Editor ;—\ bplievc that the time is last approaching when soiling cattle, instead of [ifisturing them, will lie the rule—instead of as now the ex ception—because it will enable farmers to keep twice as many head of stock on the same land, and keep them better than by the. present mode—and because stockraising on a larger scale will be necessary to the production of the manure requisite to keep up the fertility of the laud. T believe that Lucerne, or, as it is sometimes called, Lucerne Clover (the Alfalfa of the Pacific coast.), is the very best crop we can raise for this pur pose. As you have invited fanners to give you their experience for publica tion in the farm and Home, I avail myself of the opportunity to tell what I know about Lucerne, in the hope it may benefit others. First. —Let me toll you that, if you want to raise a good crop of Lucerne, you must plant, it in a rich, dry, deep ly-broko and clean soil. It will do well •on any land that will produce a good crop of red clover. Second.— Prepare the land in the fall, or during the winter, so as to let i the frost pulverize and mellow it. Plow deep; manure liberally, either with stable manure or some good mperphos phate; and if you can subsoil the land do so by all means. Early in spring give the land a- light plowing, to be followed by a harrow, so as to make the surface soil fine. 'Third.—Sow in <1 rills twelve or fif teen incites apart, using twelve pounds of seed to the acre. Sow as earlv in the spring as the season will allow. Cover lightly with a rake, or 1 19110 w, unless you use a seed-drill, which sows and covers at the same time. FonuTii.—After the seed comes up run over the crop with a cultivator to loosen the soil and destroy the weeds. Weeds are the “worst enemies of Lu cerne. They choke it out when it is young, but if they are kept down until the plants get strong and matured they are no longer to be dreaded. If jkissi ble, it is best to select for this crop a piece of land which has been last used for a hoed crop. Fifth. —The first year you may ex pect a good crop of food for soiling, but in every succeeding year, for five or six years—if you give the land a light top-dressing of manure late in the fall, and run a harrow and a roller over it in the early spring—yon may count on four or five heavy cuttings, com mencing in the spring before clover is fit to cut, continuing a'l the summer and lasting until frost. Sixth. —After the first year, except, the top dressing and rolling above mentioned, it needs no outlay of money or labor. It will yield heavily for fully six years. Seventh. —All sorts of stock prefer it to corn fodder, or any other sort of food I know, and they thrive on it bet ter than on anything else. It is the cheapest and best soiling crop I ever tried, and I believe it will do well in every State in the South ; {trovided, it be planted in good soil, the and well prepared, and care taken to keep down the weeds until the young plauts arc big enough to take posses sion of the ground. The forage is su perior in quality and succulence to millet, is fully equal to the best corn, and has this great advantage over both —that it lasts fov six years without plowing or re-seeding. M. J. W. Edgefield, S. C., Pecember, 1871. A little girl in Ithaca, before she died, ex claimed, **Papa, take hold of my hand and help me across." Her father had died two months before. Did she see him ? “The people ov good sense” arc those whose opinions agree with ours.— Hillings. BANNER OF THE SOUTH AND PLANTERS’JOURNAL. horticultural. From the Fanner k Gardener. Work for the Month. FEpRU A ItV. This, the last month of our Winter, should admonish the orchardist to hasten all necessary work to comple tion. Pruning is the most imjiortant operation now' in season, as it is during this month that it can be perfomie with the best results. Early pruning often form) the sap into activity earlier than if left untouched Hence it has been conceded by adepts from time im memorial that it is belt to prune a tree when the first signs of returning active vegetation are apparent. Peach trees cspeoially are benefitted by late pruning, the iueipent activity in the vegetation is retarded and often a tardy expansion of blossoms is thus secured; a result highly desirable here, where the greatest disasters to our ]>each crop are caused by late Spring frosts. Pruning should however, be judiciously per formed; some trees will not require as heavy reduction#ot their tops as others, hence we should urge the perusal of a previous number of the Farmer and Gardener, where the objects of pruning are fully set forth. Wo have had so fur an unusually favorable Winter, the weather has been evenly cool, without the usual inter mission of warm spells hence it is probable that active vegetation in trees | will be retarded until late; this respite can be of avail to those who have yet delayed transplanting fruit trees etc. This should not lie delayed any longer if successful results are anticipated. Examine peach trees, seo it the borer has been at work during the past Sum mer, remove the earth from the crown of the roots and leave this portion un covered until March. Plow orchards, apply a top dressing of lime, ashes, or manure and as stated before apply this broadcast end not close to the tree as is generally the ease. Trees do not receive their nutriment near their base, but this is furnished by the ends of the youngest roots and as these extend further as the tree increases in size the philosophy of applying fertilizers broad cast will be easily understood. Strawberry beds luaist be worked, and manured without delay. Plauts can be set out during the mouth with a prospect of a small crop of fruit in May. Prune grape vines, tie up vines and repair trellis before the buds begin ' to swell as it will prevent these from being broken off. Set out cuttings of figs, grapes, roses, etc. In fact we de . oidedly prefer February for this opera i tion, but would say that cuttings must be prepared at once and if the ground is not ready, keep them in damp moss | or earth until the proper time. . Asparagus beds must be worked at ■ once if not done so before. The vegetable garden must be thoroughly • worked and manured. Plant peas, * beets, carrots, parsnips, onions, either from seed or sets for early Spring use— r other vegetables which resist light [ frost can also be sown. Set out cab ; bage plants and prepare hot beds at J once, so as to secure a good supply of strong plants of tomatoes, peppers, Egg \ plants etc, fov setting out, when danger . of Spring frost is past Burr Artichokes ) can be increased by planting sets frotn^ > old plants. We have mentioned in J several previous issues, the new varie ties of Irish potatoes as possessing great advantages upon older kinds ; the Early Hose has no superior for j earliness. Peerless for second in ina > turitv and Climax for Summer keep ing. Plant at once for early crop, and end of the month for later in the . seasou. Flower beds most lie prepared and seeds of Perennials sown at first mild spell. Transplant and divide perennial plants of last year's growth. Greenhouse plants will need repot ting and renewing of soil, out back soft wooded plants when jwrfonning this operation. Winter blooming varieties should however be left undis turbed until their season of blooming has passed. This is a favorable season for propa gating plants for bedding out in April. Geraniums, Heliotropes, .Salvias, and similar classes can be grown now without bottom heat if the stock plants are in proper stage of vegetation. Agricultural Education. •’ There is,.probably, no elass of pub lications that has contributed so much to the national wealth of the country, as those bearing upon Agriculture and kindred topics, and for the amount of useful knowledge, thus cheaply dissem inated. there are lew, if any, that receive! less deserved appreciation. As successful agriculture is the foun dation of the country's prosperity, so the means whereby the science and practice of agriculture is advanced, should be regarded as the most impor tant clement in our progress anil wealth. Within the last ten or twenty years, vast improvements and changes have taken place in this direction. Improv e<l Implements for filling the soil, im proved breeds of stock, a more widely diffused knowledge of the nature and application of manures, newly intro duced articles of production and im provements in the varieties heretofore existing, have almost revolutionized old established agricultural ideas and cus toms. In arriving at this slate of affairs, agricultural publications have acted in a two-lold capacity. Through them, ideas of practical farmers were inter changed and given to the world, to be j taken hold of and put to practical ac i count by inventors arid others. Im-! provemeuts and inventions were thus introduced, to be brought back through the same channel, to the notice and consideration of those they were in tended to benefit. Very few farmers who subscribe to an agricultural paper, but will say that many articles and many single numbers have benefitted them much more than the price of the yearly subscription; but we believe that in the South the majority of fanners take no such publication. Northern fanners support their papers, almost without exception, and herein lies much of the secret of the unequal evidences (as regards the South) of progress and prosperity that there exist; some of the leading agricultural publications of the North have a subscription list of from one to two hundred thousand, whilst a southern paper of the kind, that- can boast of five thousand is con sidered prosperous. For ten dollars a year a Southern fanner can supply him self with an excellent variety of read ing matter that will convey, not only instruction, but amusement and profita ble occupation to his family both old and young. It is true that Northern papers are generally conducted for the use of Northern farmers; most South ern. publications are particularly adapt ed foV the use of those of the section I of country in which they are published; but we iusist that a farmer who does not subscribe to an agricultural publi cation of some kind, must necessarily be behind the times. Let a farmer who has not been ac customed to this class • of reading try the experiment of investing ten or even five dollars for one year’s subscription, to two or more reliable farmer’s papers, and our word for it, the investment will never be regretted or the amount of it diminished.— Farmer <t G. Flavor of California Fruits.— Josiah Hooper, in his late annual ad dress betore the Pennsylvania Fruit Growers’ Society, said of his observa tions in California: *1 may say in re ganl to the larger fruits, such as the apple, j>ear, peach, etc., that their re markable size and beauty appeared very little short of a miracle; indeed I was totally unable to detect old standard varieties time and again. Their enor mous size and perfect shape, together with that peculiar waxen appearance, proverbial to all California fruits, was a continual picture, and will not soou be forgotten. But beautiful and large as all these vegetable productions are, there is lacking that delicious flavor, the agreeable aroma and the richness of our less perfect but better fruits. We search in vain for these requisites beyond the Kooky Mountains, and I very much doubt if they have the more preferable acquisitions, or that we would exchange our quality for their appearance.” Vlcrrni iz to. —Our excellent anJ usually cautions Votemporary, the Cultivator and Country Gentleman lias been taken in by the “Wild Tea remedy for Cancer ' dodge. In its last issue a communi ati m appears stating the unfailing virtues of Wild Tea, as a remedy for cancer. Os coarse this state ment was calculated to create a demand for the article of Wild Tea, which it appears is only procurable from the originator of the so-called euro. The retired clergyman whose sands of life have been for so long a time running out, and who advertises to furnish sufferers, gratuitously, a prescription for the cure of consumption, &cl, has met his match in the Wild Tea man. It is almost unnecessary to repeat what has been so often said about the clergyman's prescription; it contains an article, that cannot be obtained except from the clergyman himself, and of Course at his own price. This is really the age of hum bugs.—Farmer & Gardener. Gardening for Ladies.— How many en thusiasts there arc now to lie found among the gentle sex, in behalf of gardening or out-door exercise for ladies. It is quite re freshing to read such a dainty little story as this, told by Julia Coleman: “I know one lady whose sensible doctor told her, twenty years ago, that she was hall' gone with consumption, and that lier only chance of of life was to be in the open air as much as possible. And a perfect bower pf Paradise was her little yard. Was the soil fioor ? She enriched it.’ Were her va rieties indifferent ? She procured better ! Nearly all the flowers were fragrant. Fit'- teen kinds of rows bloomed under her hands, and a succession of flowers filled out the Summer. One side of the yard was covered with grapes. Peaches, plums and rasplierries were trained eri espalier, and choice squashes ripened on the roofs of the out-houses. Tomatoes were trained to single jioles and yielded luxuriantly: and ruby strawberries peeped out even from the bleaching grass. She, herself, was as fresh and vigorous as you could expect one to lx* whose half decayed lung bail left her with insufficient vitality. But her life was : saved and it had been a happiness to herself ! ami a blessing to others.” She is right, too, when she says that more 1 than half the credit for the ’ ornamenta tion <sf our door-yards and homes, is due to, the ladies who push the men up to their duty. THE GRIDIRON. The principal difference between preparing a breakcast in the city er country is this : In the former the meat is broiled, in the latter | it is fried. No one would think to commence 1 housekeeping in a large town without first i purchasing a gridiron, though a frying pan might not lie thought of. In tiie country the converse of this is true; every house con tains a frying pan, often quite’ a number of them, but a gridiron is rarely seen. Whether tested by the light of science, the rules of economy, the laws that govern health, or the appetite that has become cul tivated by good living, the frying pan may justly be regarded as the most objectMßable cooking utensil, as far as preparing meat for the . table is concerned, that ever was in vented. Its origin dates from the dark ages of cookery, in the. gloom of which many people are now living. Its use is most waste ful, inasmuch as it drives out of the meat cooked therein many of the juices that form the most nutritious part of that substance, and puts the remaining portion in a poor condition to be digested, or to be relished by one who has been accustomed to eat steaks, chops or cutlets prepared in any other way. More cases of indigestion aiid dyspepsia among farmers' families can lie traced to the flying pan than to any other cause. The frying pan vitiates the taste to such an ex tent that the victim of fried meat often re quires years to prepare his appetite to enjoy the delicacy of meat cooked in a rational way. A physician who would recommend fried beef for a patient would be set down by the medical profession as an ignoramus. A city hotel keeper who would include fried fresh meats among the dishes on his break fast bill of fare, would drive all his guests, who were accustomed to good eating, from his table. The frying pan is a relic of cvfii naiy barbarism, the continued use of which in. fanners' families can oniy be defended on the score of convenience. The chemist, physician, cook and. epicure all unite in commending the gridiron. Its invention marked the commencement of a new era in cooking. It can be said of few things that economy and epicurean taste both favor them; but the gridiron is cer tainly of that number. There is far less waste in weight in broiling than in any other method of cooking meat. There is a’lso less loss of nutritious principles and agreeable flavors. Scarcely anything is taken from the meat except a small portion of water. If we except sausage, fresh and salt pork, there is no kind of meat, poultry or game, that is not vastly better, every way considered, when cooked on a gridiron, than when fried out in a frying pan. Most persons who have tried both methods will prefer to have salt pork cut in very thin slices and broiled,, to having it in the usual way it appears on fanners' tables, the pieces tried to a crisp and floating like pieces of a wreck in an ocean of gravy. But because the gridiron is a good thing, it is no argument that meat should be kept on it, as good Saint Lawrence was, till the flesh becomes blackened. Asa rule, the ?uieker the operation of broiling is per ormed, the better. To this end there should be a good supply of coal from which all the gases have escaped, so that there will lie no blaze and no smoke. The coals should rest on a bed of ashes, so that they w ill not cool too quickly. They should extend upwards as near the meat as possible w ithout touch-' mg it. The heat should be suffered to sear over the under-surface and prerent the escape of the juices. Almost as soon as this is done the pieces should be inverted. A little ex perience will teach one how long the pieces should lie on the gridiron. People who have been habituated to eating meat fried to a scrap, will not at first relish steaks or cntlets cooked rare, but they will soon prefer meat cooked in this way. Asa rule, all seasoning should be added to broiled meat after it is taken from the gridiron. If the weather is cold, the table plates should also lie warmed. “Piping hot.” Webster says, is an inelegant expression; hut really it expresses the way a steak should come to the t able better than any words we have at our disposal.— Prairie Farmer. RECIPES. Cocoanut Cake. —One cup of butter, two cups of sugar, four eggs, two teaspoons of cream tartar, one of soda dissolved in a cup of milk, three cups of flour, and one grated cocoanut. Apricas Poi nd Cake. —One cup of sugar, one cup of batter, one cup of syrup, one cup of sour milk, three eggs, one teaspoon of soda, four cups of flour, two cups or rai sins and cun-ants, (half, cup of citron, cinna-__ mon, cloves and nutmeg to suit the tastix and a small wine-glass of brandy. Batter Pudding.—Four eggs, one quart of milk, eight tablespoons of flour, hake one hour. This is also very good boiled. Yorkshire Pudding. —One pint of inilk, two eggs, add flour to make it a little stiffer than liatter pudding; bake half hour. Dried Peach Pudding.— One quart dried peaches chopped fine, onfe cup sweet milk, one cup syrup, one cup sugar, three eggs, one tablespoon of butter, one teaspoon soda, two teaspoons cinnamon, half teaspoon of cloves, add flouf enougli to make it nearly as stiff as a ptmud cake. Boil three hours. Brandy sauce. German Puffs.— Three eggs, three cups of milk, three cups of flour. ” Bake in cups and eat with lemon sauce. Dressing Black Hogs. —A corres pondent of the Michigan Farmer says; “The principal objection to the Essex and Berkshire breed of hogs, 1 find to be their color. Now as Youatt justly observes, this is not even "skin deep.” The coloring matter will be found to be secreted between the trne skin and epidermis of outer skin. If care is taken in scalding black hogs they can be dressed as white as qny white hog. It is a well known prin ciple that all black substances absorb heat- Hence in dressing black hogs the water should not be so hot as in scalding white ones. If this simple rule be observed there will be no diffi culty in dressing black hogs. Instead \of this color being an objection I re j gard it as an advantage, for the skin of j a black hog will always be found to >be smooth and glossy, free from cutaneous eruption and always dean. Onions.— “ Onions,” says Dr. Hall, “are one. of the most nutritious, health ful and detestable articles of food found in our markets. We never ate one to our knowledge, and never ex pect to; we can smell them a mile off, perhaps. A few grains of coffee, eaten immediately afterwards, or a teaspoonfnl of vinegar swallowed, re moves at once the odor of the breath. If onions are half boilgd, and the water thrown away, and then put in soup to be boiled ‘done,’ the odor will be but little noticed.”