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[Written for the Southern Field end Flreeide.] AGRICULTURAL LETTERS FROM HANCOCK BY AN OLD MESIHF.E OF THE FLAVTEES' CU B. Ilorizontalizing — Anecdote — A Plantation Skinned — B. S. Hardwick, Esq.—Hill Side Ditching. Under the composting system, our planters first began to realize the necessity of preserving their lands from washing rains, which are so peculiar to this climate. They felt that it was a poor business to spend so much time in making manures,* and hauling them out on hill-sides, when a single rain might come, that would carry more of the substance of the land into the branches and creeks below, than they could re supply in a twelve month. Horizontal plow ing was the first step of progress made in this direction. We do not know who originated the idea, but he deserves much credit for it; as doubt less, the whole after improvements in hill-side ditching and level culture sprang from this thing. Forty years ago, a few farmers in Mid dle Georgia were laughed at for their eccentrici ties in plowing their lands around, instead of up and down the hills; but even these were planted in direct lines, and most generally in the hill. The drilling system sprang up soon after, and, finally, planting horizontally, as well as plowing; though the whole system was very imperfect, as the eye had to answer the place of the level, which, as yet, was an instrument unknown to our agriculturists. A number of old Virginia planters settling in Hancock about this period brought with them some of the notions prevalent in the Old Domin ion about the improvement of lands. Among these, we have reason to believe, was the notion of conveying water around hill-sides in graded drains, so as to prevent such immense gullies, as disfigured so many of the old plantations.— Years after, two of these old planters who lived in the northern part of the county, the venerable George Rives and JohnS. Berry, Esq., met in the streets of Sparta, and were conversing on the progress made in hill-side ditching especially. Mr. Berry appealed to his neighbor Rives to prove that he was the first man who had ever used a hill-side ditch in Hancock. “Yes,” said Mr. Rives, “but, by blood I” (a phrase common with him,) “you throw the dirt up hill.” This anecdote seems to show how imperfect were the improvements of that day, when com pared with the present. In our occasional rides on the Oconee, we see the landmarks in many old worn out fields, of the crude and imperfect notions entertained in that day of hill-side ditch ing. Some of them having an idea of symmetry, and, we suppose, that their com or cotton rows might run ki a direct line, had their ditches been perfectly straight, or varying but little. Under this plan, larger gullies were made, if possible, than under the old plan. We have in our mind two old plantations in this section of the coun try —one treated in this way, and one on the old skinning system. The soil is better preserved on the former; but tho gullies are deeper and larger. The plantation so badly skinned is the most miserable specimen we have ever seen of the kind. The owner, refusing any of the im provements tendered by science, iu the way of hill-side ditching, or level culture, has continued to plow up and down the hills, until tho soil is nearly all gone, and the land refuses to “ repay the tiller’s toil.” We verily believe it will take a half century for the stunted growth of pine and hawthorns that begin to appear in places turned out, to recuperate this soil; and, the worst of it is, that the owner never got a moiety of the strength from the land, in cotton, com, and beef, but plowed it up, to be washed away, and help to muddy the already turbid Oconee, after every freshet. So imperfect were the plans of hill-side ditch ing first invented, and so unsatisfactory the re sults, that many who tried them purtially failed, and gavo it up. A few persisted, aud added such improvements, from time to time, as finally commanded the respect of all sensiblo men. Among those most prominent and most deserv ing in tins regard, wo mention, with pleasure, the name of R. S. Hardwick, Esq. A perfect amateur in all that belongs to agriculture, loving it for tho pleasure he found in pursuing it, and not simply for the hope of reward, Mr. Hard wick presented an anomaly among planters gen erally ; and, on this account, accomplished more for his occupation than it ever did for him. In deed, ho did not spare money or labor to carry out any of his experiments for the advancement of tho science. One of the founders and early Presidents of the Planters’ Club, he was seldom absent from the Club room, and always ready to take part in the discussions which came be fore it. In one dark period of its history, when many had withdrawn their support and influ ence, ho seemed to have gathered new strength from tho untoward circumstances surrounding him, and sustained it mainly by his own person al exertions. We believe, at this time, it would have “gone down to the tomb of the Capulets,” but for the energy and untiring zeal of this gen tleman. Ho belonged to what might properly be called the experimental school of agriculture; and, as such, fell behind many of his more prac tical brethren in the profits of his farm. But while sofne of the anti-book men were disposed to ridicule the new-fangled notions which he got from his agricultural journals, and especial ly if any of them proved to be failures ; they, nevertheless, learned many things from liftn that they knew not before, and profited much more from his experiments than they are even now willing to acknowledge. In one thing all must award to him the palm, and that is, the intro duction of improved breeds of stock into the county, especially hogs and cows, by which the general character of breeds have been improved. The Berkshire stock of hogs, we believe, was first introduced by him; and though taken alone, did not seem to suit the rough and careless treatment of overseers and negroes ftt the South, yet, by being mixed with the more common breeds, Ims greatly improved the general stock of hogs throughout the country. The venerable land pike, with his long nose and sharp back, has gradually disappeared; and the Berkshire, the China, and Irish grazier, with their various admixtures, have taken his place. In nothing, however, did Captain Hardwick take more interest, or, perhaps, accomplish more good, than in his untiring zeal in endeavor ing to porfect the modes and appliances of hill side ditching. He published his views general ly in the Albany Cultivator, which were exten sively copied by other journals. Despite of the disrepute into which it had fallen, it soon grew into favor again under his persistent advocacy, backed, as he was, by some other leadiug men of the Planters’ Club. And up to the present time, it has held a predominant sway among the best agriculturists of tho county—nay, we may say of the South. For it seems that Alabama and Mississippi have taken the lead of Georgia in this particular, growing out of the fact, doubt less, that their climate and soil demand it even more than ours. A better system than oven this, however, remains to be discussed in the course of these letters —of which, for the we will say nothing. The attention of farm er g XB£ gotrxscx&sr vxx&s Affix xxxxsxxx. generally has been aroused jon the subject of preserving their lands from waste, which is quite as important as to know how to re-supply those wastes. For every washing rain that falls on a freshly plowed field carries off more of the salts and inorganic elements than could possibly be added in a twelve month, so as to pay. We re gret exceedingly that in the new processes of agricultural improvement, now going on in this and other departments, the Planters’ Club of Hancock has lost the efficient aid of the indomita ble Hardwick. But circumstances, beyond his control, have removed him from the quiet walks of agriculture to the busy marts of commerce. We hope that even yet his long cherished pur pose of returning, and mingling iu those rural scenes and pursuits, so congenial to his nature, may be carried out, and that the sun of prosperi ty may shine propitiously on his declining years. Sparta, Ga. p. FEAR CULTURE IN THE SOUTH. An Essay, written at the request of the Aiken Vine Growing Association, of South Carolina, and read before that body on Thursday , July Ith, T 859, by L. E. Berckmans, of Augusta, Ga. Mr. Chairman: By resolution of the Society, communication of which has been sent to me. June 16th, you have appointed me to prepare an “ Essay on the Culture of the Pear." The duty conferred upon me by said resolution should be more thankfully accepted if I felt my self better qualified to carry out the views of the Society. However, I think to be , able to throw some light upon the subject, by the result of over thirty years’ experience in the fruit cul ture, on this and the other side of the Atlantic, and by my almost exclusive attention to the pear cultivation in the South during the past two years. The object of the Society in calling up the subject of the Pear culture is, undoubtedly, to discuss thoroughly the advantages, inconve niences, profits, and drawbacks of the cultiva tion of that class of fruit, in reference to its value as a market produce, and as a reliable crop among the different fruit crops. In taking this view of the subject, our first duty must be to divest ourselves of all prejudice in discussing matters of public interest; and as the production of such an important class of fruits as the Pear is at the eve of assuming largo proportions, I cannot but highly approve the opportunity of putting the question before the public, under sanction of your authority, with a view to open the field to impartial discus sion and information. The culture of every comparatively new, or not sufficiently tosted fruit, or cereal, destined to occupy a prominent place upon our markets, and to exercise a marked influence upon the general diet of tho people, is well worth the earnest consideration of tho Agricultural and Horticultural Societies .of the Union. It is, in case of success, a benefit conferred upon the community; and, in case of failure, heavy losses of time and money saved; for individual preju dices and hobbies, not to say anything about less worthy motives, are hard to be overcome; and were it not for such unique and far-famed institutions as the American Agricultural and Pomological Societies, the now almost cleared field of pomology should be a wilderness of con fused notions, inaccurate informations; and, worse than all that, of bitter personalities and disputations, where light and impartiality could hardly be expected to find their way. Much as the Pomological Society has done for the selection and promotion of good fruits, we cannot expect to find among the documents suf ficient information in regard to the South, where, indeeed, the cultivation of the Pear is still in its infancy. Even in the North it is, and will be for some time to come, a much controverted sub ject—tluycesult of which has been a general un easiness,Viisgivings, and doubts in regard to tho probability of raising large crops of Pears; aud, considering so many should have to be dis cussed, so many objections to be overcome, our task becomes more difficult, and our wish to be brief and concise must yiold to the necessity of conveying all possible information. To proceed in a regular and logical order, we have to indicate the principal points to be dis cussed in due succession, aud in regard to their respective importance. 1. Tho first question to be examined seems to be : Is the Pear Tree, as a standard or as a dwarf, suited to the South as far as Florida and Louisiana ? 2. The second is: Can it be qpltivated with profit to a certain extent ? 3. Third: Is it durable, and not more exposed to diseases than other products ? 4. Fourth. Can we expect to sell the crops with prospects of regular profits ? Then what varieties and seasons are to be selected for the market ? 5. What soils and aspects, local conditions, manures, and treatment are the best to insure a successful cultivation of the pear ? If I am not mistaken, these must be the main points to be examined in making up an essay— not a treatise. Around these main questions other remarks will occasionally find place. It must be well understood that the Pear tree is, all things considered, of a more refined, and consequently of a more delicate and weak con stitution than the Apple, Peach, and the Cherry —the improved Pear tree of our modern times is so far removed from the original wild parent, found iu the forests of the old contiuent, as to be altogether a different thing, and hardly bear ing any likeness to that original wild type.— Long since have I supposed that this may bo the cause of its weaker and more refined habits ; for, we all know that the more we make plants and trees recede from their original type, the more they become delicate and subject to va rious diseases. This law of nature is universal, and in accordance to it, tho more refined the fruit, the flower, or the foliage, the more delicate will be the plant. This rule admits of but few exceptions. But let the cause be what it may, it is a gen erally acknowledged fact, that the Pear tree is more fastidious, less hardy, and requires a bet ter management than most all other fruit trees. It succeeds, however, where almost any fruit tree of the temperate zone does succeed, and it seems rather to be suited to a more Southern latitude than to tho Northern States. More Pear trees are killed by the mediate or imme diate effects of the severe frosts of the North than by any other cause acting farther South. Tho blight, almost the only fatal disease inhe rent to the Pear tree, is not worse here than in any other part of the Uniou, whilst the ravages of intense cold winters are never witnessed here. That the Pear tree seems to feel better at home this side of Mason & Dixon’s line, is proved to me by three facts which I have closely ob served during the last three years. The first re mark is, that weak and outworn varieties, only fitted for Espaliers, in their native climate, and but ill adapted to the severe winters of the North, are in fine condition here in Georgia. The other fact is, that some European va rieties, although very new or of recent origin, will not do in the North, while they recover all their native strength and beauty here. The third remark applies to the size and quality of the fruit which, in most all cases, is superior in the South to what I have ever wit nessed it to be in other parts. My seedlings show tlTeir propensities or characters sooner; their maturity is promoted in less time; their foliage is often double the size of what I found it to be in the North, especially many of the inedited but most prominent seedlings of Van Mons and Dr. Brinkle. In regard to the Southern limits to -be as signed to the Pear, I have not heard of a cli mate where it did not grow. I had occasion to unpack and to plant the Pear Trees sent to our worthy Pomologist Dr. Brinckle, in Philadelphia, as varieties from Brazil, Peni, and Mexico; they were esteemed there as fine fruits, but they only proved to be inferior varieties of the old cata logues when growing here. This is another conclusive fact in regard to the adaptedness of the Pear to the very lowest latitude, as the same result took place in that instance, to-wit: the improvement of an inferior sort to a fruit of good quality. To quote a few facts, I will state that the Bartlett is decidedly better here than in New York or Pennsylvania; that the White Doyenne is more hardy, more certain, and rather too rich; the Flemish beauty, the Pratt, theßuffum, the Van Assehe, are larger and better here than in the North. So with most all the Pears I had occasion to test in Georgia and South Carolina, except the old Winter Pears. Varieties of doubtful quality in the North, as the Parfum Aout, Fondante de Semtembre, Bel lissime D’Ete, Bello de Bruxelles, which I found to be of uncertain or of second quality in Boston, New York and New Jersey, are almost of first quality in my grounds in Georgia. So much for the influence of a Southern temperature upon the Pear. And, as for the so much dreaded ac tion of the Southern sun upon the bark, let mo remark that I found it not to be so prejudicial as it is commonly thought to be. I have plant ed all sorts of trees, and some with highly de nuded bodies; I have not found any of them to suffer from that cause. The only pernicious ef fects iu such cases isowing to the rash process of suddenly removing the protecting limbs from a fruit tree, when the body has not been ex posed and inured, from its early youth, to the Southwest**! rays of the sun. That the Pear Tree will and must succeed upon the quince stock, I have most satisfactory and convincing proofs—provided the quince stock be not exposed to the air and sun. As a tree is not so weak—it is then complete in its organism; but checked and deprived in its or ganic structure, it becomes feeble and liable to diseases. When the quince stock, below the bud, is destroyed by worms, it is owing to one of the following causes: 1. Unfitness of the budding variety to grow well upon the quince stock. (We have many of these). 2. Exposure of stock, or too deep planting. 3. Excess of moisture, or want of proper food in thesoil. 4. The vicinity or presence of old decayed wood, roots, or sticks, carelessly dug in with the tree when planted. In all-these cases it is sickness, either inherent or accidental. Once fairly started, there is no more danger for the dwarfed tree. And now we must examine the much contro verted subject: Can the pear be grown with profit? This is rather a complicated question, and I do not know how to answer it as briefly as I should wish to do. As far as my personal con viction is concerned, I have no hesitation in re plying in the affirmative, provided we stick to the following rules: 1. The selection of a proper soil. All soils are not suited to the pear tree 2. A locality sufficiently free from excessive moisture, and rather rolling than too level and flat. 3. The judicious and careful selection of hardy, handsome, productive aud good varieties, selling not only as good, but also as fair and inviting fruit. 4. The selection of stock. Some pears, if not all, growing upon the quince, are better upon that stock than upon the free or wild pear stock. No pears are nor were ever good upon the Haw thbrne, Amelanchier, Mountain Ash, &c. We have tried that twenty years ago, and never succeeded in producing any good fruit, although we made trees grow finely for the first two or three years. 5. The proper attention and care bestowed to the tree, which must be more than that given to the apple, peach, or plum. Next to the grape, the pear requires the greatest attention and skill. It is not everybody’s business to raise handsome fruit, and to form trees widely in a season of abundance, will have their fruit so equally set and distributed all over the trees as not to split and break the limbs, as is often the case. Let us remark that the greatest care is only needed when the tree is very young. After it is once well shaped and sets io bearing, it sends qut less rank wood and takes better form and habits. It would take more words than I can com press in an essay to lay down the rules of judi cious pruuing, without which there is no future for the Pear tree, at least in most cases, and among the most refined sorts. We must confine ourselves to a few remarks upon the profits and the choice of Varieties suited to the market— In the vicinity of Boston, for instance, most handsome profits are realized from the Pear crops. Although, judging from the quantity of Pears grown around that city, we should deem the market to be overstocked; still, Pears sell in Boston from 50 cents to ovor $4 a d6zen. Some cities, as Philadelphia, have only a few inferior Pears in the market, and would pay any price if they could get these in some quantity. Two years ago tho editor of the Horticulturist wrote me: “Much is written about Pears, but we can not buy any in our Philadelphia market—please let me have some, for love, for begging, or for money!" In fact, tho Pear is considered such an aristocratic fruit, (if I may use that term.) that those who grow them keep them for their own family, friends, and visitors, as one of the finest luxuries. I have seen as much as $6 paid for a dozen of handsome Pears in Boston, (in December). No party is fashionable among amateurs without at least one fine dish of Pears. Messrs. Hovey, Austin, and many others, sell Pears in large quantities, with very handsome returns. From New Jersey, Western aud North western New York, large quantities are sent to New York city. Col. John Hebron, in Mississippi, makes his Pear trees pay, and over. And wheu we consider that Pears, to be gootl, must be picked a few days before ripe, it seems just the article for transportation to distant markets. I have no doubt I can pick fine full grown Bart letts, pack them in barrels, send them to New York, or Quebec, or Havana, and when they will be at the port of destination, and leisurely unpacked, they will just be in the very best con dition to go to the market or to the table. In regard to the facility and security for, and the very improvement of the fruit by transportation, no other fruit can compare with the Pear, not even Oranges and Lemons—the Pear and some Apples being the only fruit which requires picking from six to eight days before maturing, to bring it up to its true quality. To make a Pear orch ard pay, we need only the necessary skill Bud care, a well cultivated soil, and a climate where the bud is not exposed to be killed by 20 de grees below 0, or by the uncertain springs of die North. W e have not to care about markets—for such fruit they are everywhere, because it bears, and rather demands transportation. Let those who have the means, time, skill, and a little patience, try the experiment. They will find out that a well planted and well directed Pear tree comes into bearing sooner than an Apple, and almost as soon as a Peach tree; that in this climate the crops are more regular and certain; that the Pear tree can be considered as an annual bearer, while Apples are not, and Peaches are very uncertain. The season of blossoming for the hundreds of varieties of Pears is so protracted, that only a score out of a hun dred will be in blossom when a spring frost sets in, and the others will either have set their fruit, or be dormant, and consequently out of danger, with an ordinary slight spring frost. I have reasons to consider the blossoms of a Pear tree more hardy than that of a Peach or Apricot.— Few worms attack the Pear—the rot, the oidium, and the curculio, are strangers to it But is a Pear tree lasting ? I have seen many a Pear tree over a century old; and, with proper care and management, it will last as long as any other fruit tree. As I stated before, the diseases are mostly confined to the blight, which affects some varieties more than others—the old varie ties more than the new ones. We can, in the actual state of science, not even indicate a reme dy, but we cannot ascertain the origin and cause (or causes) which produce that troublesome dis ease. All I have been able to do is to direct my attention and studies to the wood, foliage, and general characters, which seem to render a given variety more liable to the disease. The class of Bartlett foliage and bark seems to be the most exposed, as I remark in the very seedlings bear ing those characters. So is the Glout Moreau and the Vicar—notwithstanding that the bark and foliage are very distinct in the three varie ties. To prevent the disease in old trees is im possible—for young trees there is a better chance—close watching and pruning, the prompt removal of tho diseased wood, longitudinal in cisions when tho appearance of the bark is not sound, a good supply of special wood forming manures, are tho best means, if not to prevent the blight altogether, at least to stop its further progress, and in most cases the tree can be saved. Wo have, it is true, a diminutive borer, which sets in just above a bud or a spur, and working down a few inches, circles or girdles the wood from inside out, and destroys part of a limb in growing, or the body in very small trees. But this insect is scarce, and only injures part of the wood or unsound trees. I found it most active in some shrubs, as the Spireas, Deutsias, Seryn gos, and chiefly in the Lagerstromia. Among thousands of young Pear trees in my grounds, perhaps not fifty have suffered from that insect, and those were only partly injured. The blight will be found the worst in rich bottom soils, where the tree takes up too much ammonia in stead of the proper constituents of the wood and organs of the tree —those are ashes, lime phosphate, iron, silicates, plaster or gyp sum. These substances, with the carbon of the atmosphere, form tlie proper basis and food of all the trees. Ammonia and nitrogen, promot ing a too luxuriant growth and porosity of the bark, seem also to promote the blight. I have been told by Mr. Downing that seasons have been witnessed at the North when at least every tenth Pear tree was destroyed or injured by tho blight Still, Pear growers have not been dis couraged ;' and, indeed, it never has proved a disease as fatal and destructive as tho borers, the yellows, the black knot, and the ravages of the curculio, from which the Pear tree is alto gether free. Thousands of Apple, Peach, and Plum trees are destroyed by- these evil causes, and their crops rendered very uncertain if not complete failures. This tells much in favor of the Pear tree. The best season to bring Pears into the mar ket would seem to be from the months of Sep tember to December, (Winter Pears being bet ter suited for amateurs, as requiring too much watching and extra care;) then, the Peach is scarce, the Plums and Figs arc gone, and the Winter Apple has not yet taken its place in the market This remark applies to our home mar kets. For the markets of the North the very earliest Pears are the best. I have partly answered the question of soils and localities. I shall only add, that deep sandy loam soils, rather dark than light colored. West ern, Eastern, and Northern aspects, and rather elevated localities, seem to be the best for the health of the tree and the setting of the blos som ; and that Southern latitudes agree better with the Pear than higher latitudes, where of ten winters from twenty to thirty degrees be low zero prevent all reliauce upon a fair crop of refined fruits, such as Pears, Peaches, and Grapes. I shall not see the time when the South, from Virginia to Alabama, shall bo considered the fruit garden of America, but I am fully con vinced that such a time must and shall come, and that thousands of acres, unfit for cultiva tion of cotton and rice, will be converted into remunerative orchards. All wo want is a little patience—a rare thing with a fast people. We must consider that fruit trees are different from sweet potatoes, al though they do not require more, if as much care, and that the planting of rows of fruit trees in the field, at convenient distances, will not materially interfere with the crops of pota toes, cow peas, or vegetables, or any low grow ing crops that will not smother the young trees. If, moreover, we will consider that soils ex hausted for ordinary crops still do retain a great deal of the constituents required for a tree, it will be evident that fruit can often be obtained where other products must fail. We have yet to find out what sort of Pears are best suited to our Southern latitude. Every season, almost, brings us new Peaches, Grapes, Pears and Apples, superior to the old varieties, which will slowly work their way to the head of the list of prominent fruits. Among the na tive and foreign varieties, many have been found to be well adapted to our climate. Wo have a great deal more in expectation, and among my select seedlings, collected from this and distant countries, many give fair promise of being ranked, at some future day, among our best and certainly our most hardy and vigorous varieties. Permit me to conclude this already too long chapter on Pears with some remarks upon the different opinions about this fruit. The mistakes and deceptions which have so often occurred, and have discouraged many zealous amateurs, are mostly tho result of un wise selections of the worn out varieties, dis carded and given up in their native localities and here, not as refuse and unsaleable stock but under good sounding, or false names, and which must hare proven, as they did prove, in deed failures. The newly obtained varieties are undoubtedly (and with some few exceptions,) the most vigorous, symmetrical, and hardy. Os all the Pears cultivated at present as leading varieties, a few only can be traced as far back as Duhamel, or even Poiteau, (editions from 1785 to 1810.) The Duchess, the Beurre Superfin, the Beurre d’Anjou, the Belle Lucrative, the Clairgeau, and many others of our best leading sorts, were not known twenty-five years ago. I have hundreds of seedlings, selected from among thousands, with which I would not part for any consideration, so sure do I feel that some day they must take the place of such varieties as I do not consider as perfectly adapted to our lati tude, or to our wants. We must have hardy, beautiful, vigorous, productive trees, easily cul tivated in all soils, and more easily kept in the right form and shape, with good or best and large fruit. What the last twenty or thirty years of experiments, or good chances, have done in that way, will be compared to what is at present going on in our great Union. Seed lings are brought to notice every season from Maine to Alabama. It has been my good fortune to be connected with many influential and well informed gentle men, and thus to have got a chance to test most all the novelties here in the South, at the same time that they are submitted to the judgment of amateurs in other parts of tho Union. Let us not judge the Cultivation of the Pear by the worthless varieties which have induced people to say Pears will not do in (no matter what State;) it was the same in all States. When I first became acquainted in New Jersey, I was told “ Pears would not do well just there," and * now Professor Mapes, Doctor Ward, William Reid, and many others, realize handsome profits, and have fine, almost certain crops every year. And why ? Because they wisely discarded the old, sickly, and run out varieties of tho cata logues, when Pear culture was in its infancy, and took to the new sorts endowed with all the vigor, beauty, and fertility of renovated pro ducts. * I have thus far spoken of the Pear tree as a producer, in competition with the other fruit producing trees of our latitude; but if we come from the orchard to the garden, we will find the Pear tree the most indispensable, ornamental, and convenient tree to be placed around dwel lings and among our flowers and shrubbery. What is equal in beauty to a well managed and sound Bartlett, Superfine, Michel Archangel, Buffum or Urbaniste? But we must conclude, and we will do so with a wish that more effectual and persevering ef forts should be directed to that branch of rural economy, in a climate and with such a soil as ours, we must have the best Pears, as we have already tho best Peaches and Grapes, to say nothing of our delicious Apples. We have the choice of localities, plenty of room, and the means to try experiments. We shall not re main behind when all the North, much less fa vored by nature and climate, is fully alive to the importance of this question. ——- A PROFITABLE FORTY ACRE FARM- To show what “ much labor on little land” accomplishes, wo present a brief statement drawn from the Hampshire Co. (Mass.) Agricul tural Society's Transactions, there given in the statement of Mr. Stebbins, of South Deerfield, on entering his farm for the premium of the Society. The furm in question contains 41 acres, ten of it worn-out sandy land, when ho came in posj . session, over twenty years ago. But he “ re solved to have a better farm.” To this sandy field (three acres tho first year,) he applied clay at the rate of fifty loads per acre, followed by twenty-five loads of manure and 200 pounds of plaster. This was all plowed in together, the land planted to corn, and a fair crop was the result. After corn, oats were sown, and the ground seeded to clover. “By the use of clay and manure,” he says, “I have made all my land as good as the best, and increased my pastures one hundred per cent, in quantity and quality of product. As to deep plowing, he rtqds the best way to be to employ the subsoil plow. He turns under his manure four or five inches deep, and then subsoils the bottom of tho furrow as deeply as possible. Corn is planted two years in suc cession, the bettor to mix soil and manure, and to fit the land for grass, and he now sows barley instead of oats, as a more profitable crop. The secret of his success lies in the fact that instead of one hundred loads of manure as form erly, he now makes three hundred and fifty loads, supplying his yards freely with absorbent earths, and using salt, lime, and plaster, to a con siderably extent. In 1854. the products of the 41 acre farm, in usual farm crops, were worth a fraction under $2,000, and the net profits $1,116 75. There were twenty-three acres in mowing; thirteen acres in eom and potatoes, three in barley, and two in wheat. The reader may here see that a large farm is not an essential requisite to pro fitable management. ——■ Lime Water for Apple Trees. —A French journal relates of a landed proprietor near Yvetot, that he had in his garden some old apple trees which produced no fruit. Two winters ago he took some lime, which he steejied in water, and with a brush washed the old trees all over. The result was the destruction of all the insects; the old bark fell off, and was replaced by new, and the trees boro an excellent crop. Most of them have now acquired such renewed vigor, that all appearance of age has disappeared. Salt for Animals. —In the “ Country Gen tleman, ’’ of June 24, it is stated that “a great deal has been written upon the use of salt for animals.” “But very few actual experiments have been made.” “The proper amount is what we want to have determined.” For the last twenty or more years, salt has been kept where cattle, to the number of about twenty head, together with sheep, and in summer, ex cept such stock as is kept remote from the barn, have free access to it Where they have free access to it, they take but little at a time, and often, and no more than nature requires. I have known of but one instance in which it was inju rious. An ox was possessed of such an insatia ble appetite tliat he would take too much, and it was necessary to restrain him. J. Sanford. Fulton, N. Y. To Dye a very Dark Blur. —Add to a com mon indigo dye one tablespoonful of madder to one ounce of indigo. To Dye Silk or Wool an Orange Color. — Boil the skins of ripe onions half an hour; take out the skins, and add ono ounco of alum to one quart of dye; put in the silks, stir often for half an hour; dry. wash, andiron quite damp. Right and duty are like two palm-trees, which be ar fruit only when growing side by side. 87