Newspaper Page Text
4
leaner of ths jj'jitlli
planter’s Journal,
DEVOTED TO AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE
NEWS. MEMORIES OF TIIE LOST CAUSE,
LITERATURE. SCIENCE ami ART.
HliN It Y MOO tl E ,
A. K. W RIGHT.
P ATItIC K WALSH,
TERMS—S2.OO per Annum, in Advance
SATURDAY, JUNE 22, 1872.
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.
From and after this date, the sub
scription price of the Banner of the
South and Planters’ Journal will
be $2 n year We hope this will in
duce a large addition to the subscrip
tion list, as our paper is now one of the
cheapest in the South.
April 27, 1872.
Fall Oats vs- Spring Oats.
The experience of the present sea
son indicates very clearly that Fall is
the proper season for sowing oat*—
and early Fall at that. We have had
opportunity of making very general
inquiries among planters, and also of
some personal observation of the mat
ter whereof we speak. The investiga
tion is not anew one, by any means,
and the experience of the great
majority will affirm the statement that
Spring oats are an uncertain and pre
carious crop, not often returning fair
profits on the labor and expense of
sowing them. It is umfortdnately the
most general practice to soy only in
•■he Spring, and this practic'd featuring
chiefly to the fact that it haslfcc at thin
the
’"Xifibn nPSaowsm
-but nth ' ‘ J i...
do everything when it was most con
venient, and not when it was best to
do it. Fall sowings are rare, because
the Fall is occupied with cotton.
Spring oats this present season
have failed very generally, according
to our reports. Fall oats on the con
trary have made excellent crops, and
where they were sown on fair land and
with good preparation, the yield lias
been highly satisfactory.
The red or yellow rust-proof oat
has sustained its reputation very gen
erally and given another proof of its
qualities as a non-rusting and prolific
variety. This seed has been sown to
so large an extent Outing two years
past, that they should now he in reach
of every one for the next crop at
moderate prices. But at any price in
reason, they should he had, and sown.
No other variety we have known is
worth the labor of sowing in compari
son with these.
We lately witnessed the harvesting
of an extensive crop of this variety,
the larger part of which was sown in
cotton during August aud September
last, and covered in by the last plow
ing *of the cotton, with sweep. By
the side of these was an area of
Spring oats, sown in the months of
January, February and March. The
land was precisely the same, with only
a turn row between, and the previous
treatment the same, being all in cotton
last year, and manured with the same
fertilizer. The late sown were not
worthy to be compared with the Fall
sowings, though being sown more
thickly, and on good soil they, were
good Spring oats. They were low and
short heads, but with a good stand, and
well worth harvesting. The Fall
oats were heavy and rich, and will
yield double per acre to the Spring
sowing. Between the two crops stand-
BANNER OF THE SOUTH AND PLANTERS’JOURNAL.
I ing side by side the advantage was by
immense odds in favor of the Fall
oats.
It must be remembered too, in com
paring, that the sowing in the Fall
cost nothing more than the seed, since
they were covered by the usual plow
ing of the cotton; while the Spring
sowing cost an extra plowing in with
a hull tongue. The Fall crop affords
pasturage during the Winter to those
who wish to use it in that way, while
the Spring crop cannot be pastured.
The very crop we speak of was not
pastured at all, although it was very
luxuriant duriug the late Fall and early
Winter, and in some parts of it heads
appeared very generally in November
and December. Freezing during the
Winter, did not appear to hurt, even
where it had headed. The heads were
killed down for the time, hut the same
spots that had headed out most freely j
yielded the richest harvest. We wit- j
nessed the reaping with a Wood j
Reaper, which did beautiful work,
and were fully satisfied the crop could
hardly have been better, nor better,
handled, than it was. This plan of sow
ing commends itself to the planter for
cheapness and convenience as well as
for the greater success that attends it.
Likewise as a good rotation for land,
and because the practice of it will pre
vent the had practice of putting cot
ton on the same land two years in suc
cession.
Crop Prospects-
Reports of the crops from all quar
ters seem to bo generally very favor
able so far. The growing season for
cotton has fairly set in, and the plants
are in a healthy condition, and pros
pering notwithstanding the draw
back of cool nights prevailing over
this section. The stands* are good
jjruto vy WjW' ;
fWnamsrdegree, it is safe to conclude
lies a little late, from replanting.
The area of corn and small grain is
greater in this part of the State, than
heretofore. The seasons have been
excellent, according to accounts.
Rains just frequent enough, aud sun
enough to kill grass after each work
ing. We hope for like good reports
during the two months next to come.
Prices of Manure,
In a report on Commercial manures
made to the Connecticut State Board
of Agriculture in 1870. Prof. S. W.
Johnson of the Sheffield Scientific
School, New Haven, lias raised his
former estimates of the value of the
chief ingredients of manufactured fer
tilizers, assigning a somewhat higher
value to them than in his previous
estimates. After a careful re-exaniina
tion, lie reports the following estimates
on Potash, Nitrogen, and Phosphoric
acid:
Putaah 7 cents per lb.
Nitrogen .30 “ “
Boluble phoeporic »uid .16F4 " “
Insol. p..oaphoric acid. ..0 “ "
These are currency prices and not
gold.
The value of Ammonia to Nitrogen
being as fourteen to seventeen. Am
monia, according to the above estimate
for Nitrogen, should be worth a little
under twenty five cents per pound.
More Enterprising than Saga
cious—A Hint to Planters. —Should
an editor let drop an expression that
by any possibility may be construed as
injurious to the planters, they are
straightway in arms, and “stop my
paper” comes from all quarters. But
planters are not so sensitive with regard
to themselves. They do many things
that damage their own interest, aud
sometimes make it a boast. Os this
class is the practice every year of pluck
ing the largest stalk, of cotton, the first
bloom, or the first boll, from the fields
and hastening with it to the editor's
office to be noticed as evidence of their
sujierior skill or industry in agriculture.
Now, this might do very well if con
fined to the planters neighbors, but
j the information goes out to the world,
is copied far and near, and eagerly
grasped at by the cotton bears to
magnify the crop and depress the mar
ket. They catch at everything that
by any possibility can he made to sub
serve their purpose —even these isolat
ed cotton stalks blooms, and bolls, that
in point of fact afford no indication
whatever of the forwardness and gen
eral condition of the crop. This silly
boasting is always used against the
planters, and the sooner they abandon
the practice, the better it will he for
themselves.
The following hint from the Savan
nah Republican is good, though this
is not the time we would select to sug
gest it. Bragging about crop* and
showing the first blooms has often
worked injury to the planter by fur-
I nishing war material to the hears, who
! use such information to bring down
! ju ices on account of the expectation of
a large crop. Just at this time, how
ever, it is suggested by some, that any
further rise iu the price of cotton is to
he deprecated. Twelve pence in
Liverpool will put manufacturing es
tablishments on half time and diminish
consumption greatly for six or eight
months to come, and thus materially
affect prices of the next crop.
Therefore, for this time let them
brag, and show blooms, and let the j
price come down a little, or at least j
advance no further, since planters are I
getting more of the present benefits,!
and possibly the higher prices now
may have to come off of the next crop.
High prices in June aic not worth to
the country what the same price is
worth in November, December and
January.
Written i or the Banner of the Sontti and Planters’
Journal.
; spread^
BY PAUL 11. IIAYNE.
That incomparable “eclectic,” the
“Reto York Week,'' has passed into
the hands of Messrs. Holt & Wiliams,
25 Bond street, New York, and is fast
growing in reputation and usefulness.
The plan of the j taper —as we have
previously hinted, is to present in
briefest compass, the best utterauces of
the American, and English press on
topics of vital interest.
The articles selected, are grouped
under the topics of which they treat;
and thus, we learn from a single sheet,
neatly printed in quarto, what, tinder
ordinary circumstances, it must have
taken us hours to ascertain from the
consultation of scores of journals.
As to the educating tendencies of
“ The Week," it is sure—as the proprie
tor truly remarks, to cultivate catho
licity of sympathy, and to train all
those qualities which together consti
tute a cajiacity for sound, independent
judgment!
Among the last numbers of the
British Qua/terlies, (re-issued by
Messrs Lenoard Jb Scott New Y’ork.)
“ The London Quarterly Review,”
stands pre-eminent for the ability and
interest of its contents. In addition
to several diplomatic, and scientific
essays, more than ordinarily able—
there is an elaborate, thoughtful
biography of “Thomas Carlyle,” a
review of “Masson’s Life of Milton,”
and of the brochure on “Modern
Scepticism” by the Duke of Somerset;,
(let us observe en passant that the
English aristocracy are becoming,
many ofthem, distinguished as savants,)
and above all, a thorough, en
tertaining, judicious analysis of Jen
nings “Book of Parliamentary Anec
dotes," a work not yet re-published in
j this country, but soon to he so, we
| trust, because of its manifold ex
| cellencies both of style and matter. Os
■ these anecdotes, we select, at random,
the following:
| Morton, Chief Justice of Chester,
j happened to say in the House “Kings,
Lords, and Commons! or, (significantly
looking at Pitt,) “as that right Hon
orable member would term them.
'‘Commons, Lords, and Kings!! ”
Directly, Pitt, (the first) rose with a
frowning brow, called the Bishop to
order, and demanded that his words
should he taken down! They were
written by the clerk. “Bring them to
me !” cried Pitt in his haughtiest, j
most threatening tones.
Morton dreadfully frightened, stain
wered out, addressing the Speaker,
“Sir! lam sorry to have offended the
Right Honorable Member, or the
House! Really, in fact, I meant
nothing! Kings, Lords, and Com
mons, *fce, tria juncta in uno" —l j
meant nothing! Indeed—!! Pitt in-!
tenujited these apologies by saying
with undisguised contempt, “I don’t
wish to push the matter further! Only
as a proof of my regard for the Right ’
Honorable gentleman, I give him tiiis
advice, whenever he means nothing, let
him say nothing!”
How tremendous must Pitt's ascen
dancy have been at that time, to enable
him thus to bully an eminent lawyer 1
into a craven apology for words which 1
were historically true. For, not only
again and again lias the order of pre ■
cedence been reversed; hut the very j
shifting of places which the Chief j
Justice blurted out, has occurred. It;
was Lords, Kings, and Commons.'
under the Plantagenets; King,
Lords, aud Commons, under the Tudors; j
Commons, Lords, and King, (with a |
vengeance!!,) under the Great lie.
imii ■■■■ i ■
*-*-*"[
It fs well said, that prominent an/mg!
the distinctive features of the British
Parliament, must he ranked the proue- ■
ness to be swayed by eloquence, and !
also the large supply of it of the
noblest quality at all times. We
repeat “at all times!” since, the
oratorical ages in England instead of
being sejvarated by marked intervals,
like the literary ages, follow in un
broken succession.
Clarendou’s pages teem literally with
proof that the important period bis
“History” includes, was marked by de
bating genius, the most brilliant and
profound.
There were, Pym, Hampden, Hollis,
Digby, Capel, Hyde, and Falkland.
During the Restoration, we have
Shaftesbury, and Halifax, Then, the
Whig party was defended and made
illustrious by Montague aud Somers;
while in the next generation we meet
with the incomparable Bolingbroke, of
whom it is remarkable, that not one
sjjoken sentence has been preserved!
Os his contemporary, Alterburg, who
was both a Bishop, and a wit, it is re
lated that on one occasion he warmly
opposed the passage of the “Schism
Bills” in the House oi Loris. “I
ventured," he said, “to prophecy last
Winter that this ‘Bill’ would be at
tempted in the present session, and I
am sorry to find that I was a true pro
phet !” To which Lord Coningsby—a
nobleman who always spoke in a
passion—replied: “One of the Right
Reverends has set himself forth as a
prophet; now, for my part, I know
not what prophet to liken him unto,
unless to that famous Prophet Baalam,
who was reproved by his own ass!”
Very neat, conclusive, and efficient,
is Alterburg’s rejoinder. There’s a
delicate irony about it, not common in
that age, when ladies talked less gram-
matically sometimes than their own
maids, and aristocratic drawing rooms
echoed to such language front fair
lips as would hardly be tolerated
now-a-days in a beer garden!!
“Since the noble Lord hath disco
vered in our manners such a similitude,
I am well content to he compared to
Baalam; but my Lords; I am at a
loss how to make out the other part of
the ingenious parallel! I’m sure that
I have been reproved by nobody—but
his lordship!”
* * * * "The British Quar
terly," (for April) contains eight articles,
of which the lx-st are the “leader” on
“Matthew Arnold’s poetry," “Poj>e,
and his Editors," “Sir Henry Holland’s
Recollections," and a quaint, clever
essay, with much well selected matter,
and foreeable illustration, on “The
Modern Newspaper.”
Arnold's works have never, perhaps,
been so ably and so exhaustively re
viewed before; nor lias his peculiar
genus ever been subjected to a keener
analysis. As an artist, our Reviewer
maintains, that Matthew Arnold’s j>osi
tion must he found about half way be
tween Wordsworth’s, and Goethe's.
-Vs a thinker, embodying his reasons in
verse, he is the poet of “death;"
although as Hazlitt writes of “Laoda
mia," it is death in “its sweetness,
gravity, strength, beauty and languor.”
Ulnike his illustrtrloua father, Arnold
of Rugby, whose faith seemed at once
expansive, and healthful, akin to the
very Heavens themselves. Mathew is
the high Priest of the soul’s melancholy
hauteur, and plaintive benignity.” He
will be read and remembered by every
generation in which “faith continues to
he daunted by, reason, and reason most
reluctantly, ti call in question the
transcendental certainties of faith."
w article on “The Modern
Newspaper," \re find it asserted ujion
the authority l of Monsieur Eugeue
Hatin, author jo( “ Ilistoir Politique,
et Litteraire and: la Presse en Prance,"
that the first genuine newspaper was
the '■‘■GazettT of Rcnaudet, which be
gan in 1631, and was continued down
to 1792. It is added that the “ Journal
des Savants" commenced in the 17th
century, has been regularly published to
the present time. * * * The
English “ Mercury ,” (some* copies of
which have beeeu preserved in the
British Museum,) is now universally
admitted to be forgery, and in truth a
recent forgery!
* * * * Os the current num
bers of “ The Westminister,” and
"Ihe Edinburgh Revieics,” we can
only say in this place, that the former
jiresents a somewhat heavy table of
contents, its interest centering chiefly
in the voluminous survey, (under the
editorial head,) of Contemporary
Literaturewhile of the latter, we
would designate, after a hasty perusal,
the following [tapers as most able, and
satisfactory; viz: “Guizot’s Memoir
of the Duke de Broglie,” “Lettersand
Discoveries of Sir Charles Ball;
“Oceanic Circulation,” (an essay of
'peculiar originality and illustrative
force,) “The Works of John Hook
ham Frere,’ and “Lord Brougham’s
Life and Times’’ This list, by the
way, leaves but two or three articles
unnamed, a fact which per se, speaks
strongly enough for the general
ability of the April “ Edinburgh .”
***** “ Blackwood " con
tinues, (among its usual brilliant mis
cellanies,) that most singular, and im
pressive tale, “The Maid of Sker.”
The authorship of the story is doubt
ful, but concerning its extraorainary
merit, there can be no difference of
opinion. It has readied its 10th part,