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in the soil are quite soluble like common salt, chloride of lime, magnesia, and potash, and therefore we seldom meet with so much as 1 per cent, of this element in any tilled land. One tenth of 1 per cent., or 1 in 1000, is nearer the average in ordinary soils of a fair quality. Hu min. humic acid, creuic and apocrenic acids, and vegetable remains, have already been subscribed. Several thousand specimens of soil have been analysed by reputable chemists in Europe, the United States, and in Canada; and from the facts thus elicted, the following deductions may be fairly drawn: 1. All the elements of vegetables, whether in the atmosphere, in water, or in solid mine rals, are the same in all countries. 2. The elements of all matter endowed with vitality, and performing various functions in an organised condition, must continue the same forever in the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms. 3. The raw material of making all crops being known, the accumulation of snch raw material is as simple as to make brick, and lay them up into the walls of a house. 4. All the elements of human food and raiment must be well understood by the consumers there of before these elements can be husbanded with reasonable economy. 5. It is unreasonable to expect that people will preserve from loss and waste any things, no matter how valuable in themselves, so long as they remain in profound ignorance of such value. 6. The least abundant and most precious ele ments of crops annually thrown away through sheer ignorance of their value involves a need less loss to this country equal to two or three hundred million days’ labor by the cultivator of the soil. When a farmer gives as much work for 50 bushels of corn raised on poor land as 100 would cost if grown on rich land, it is plain that he and the public lose half his labo/if he need lessly impoverishes his soil, or neglects to im prove it when or where he can. 7. Until he knows what are the things in the surface ofthe earth which render it, when pre sent, exceedingly fertile, and, when absent, per fectly sterile, the husbandman can hardly begin in the right way to save and accumulate these elements of fertility. 8. There is reasen to believe that good Peru vian guano (the dung of sea-birds) is the best known expression of the most valuable elements of crops, from the fact that practical farmers are able and willing to pay from S4O to SSO a ton for this manure to produce breadstuft's and pro visions in this republic, where virgin soils may be cultivated to any extebt, without buying the land, or paying taxes, or rent of any kind. i«> - ——• THE CHOPS AND FARMING IN TEXAS. The Texas editorial correspondent of the New Orleans Picayune, G. W. Kendall, Esq., writes to that print the following interesting letter de scriptive of the crops in that region, and of his own farming operations: New Braunfels, Texas, Aug. 20. During the last week wo have had a series of fine showers in this section; in many localities the earth has been thoroughly soaked, and al most everywhere enough rain has fallen to give the grass a new start, thus giving our stock a chance to enter the wintei months in good con dition. From the 4th of July to the middle of this month wo had exceedingly dry, hot, and disa greeable weather. I have never experienced the like in Texas. Even many of the nights were hot—too 4iot for comfort—a thing almost unknown in this section. But the showers have cooled the parched earth, have freshened the hot air, and we may now look for pleasant weather until winter sets in. But tho heat has not been so severe in West ern Texas this summer as it has been in many ofthe old States, nor has the drouth cut off our crops entirely as it has done in sections believed to be more favored. It is true that in certain localities on tho Cibolo, the Salado, tho Guada lupe, and other streams, but little corn or cotton have been raised; yet within a few miles of these very localities, fair crops have been made, and tho labors of the farmers have been well re paid. All through Stringtown, as the section between New Brauufels and San Marcos is called, I see that the crops are more than fair—tho yield of corn and cotton is excellent, while from the country below I hear the most hopeful accounts. In the mountains, or, at least in such parts of Comal and Blanco counties as I have seen, we have made more than corn enough “to do us,” as the saying is. I, myself, have been most for tunate, as, notwithstanding tho drouth, I shall gather some thirty-five or forty bushels to tho acre. And here I would returp ray thanks to Capt. W. J. Minor, of Natchez, who kindly pre sented me with a barrel of seed-corn last winter —a species of com which I believe to be admi rably suited to this region. It is a rich yellow Hint, stands the drouth well, matures from ten days to a fortnight earlier than our common Texas com, has a thick husk or shuck which worms can hardly cut through whilfe the ear is in milk, nor do I believe it possible for the wee vil to do it much injury in winter. Tho yield may not be quite as heavy; yet its othor good properties more than counterbalance any small falling ofT in the quantity raised. This corn I planted in furrows four feet and nine inches apart, and as deep as I could make them with a two horse plow. In these furrows, about four feet apart, I dropped two kernels, ana covered well with a hoe. When the corn had started I went through tho field with a hoe, drawing a little fresh earth round each hill; again, when the weeds began to show, I cut them down with a light sweep, which did not enter the ground to the depth of an inch. By drawing the weeds and fresh earth into tho fur rows, and around tho corn, with a hoe, I accel erated its growth, and kept the roots well down in the moist ground. The weeds did not start again, as wo had no rain to bring them up, and after another hoeing my corn was made. And handsome corn it is for any country. Many may say : “You put too much work on your com—we cannot afford such an outlay of labor.” For the life of mo I cannot understand the philosophy of this reasoning. I have seen many farmers in Texas put in twenty acres of com with a plough, cultivate it with a plough, stir up the moist earth with a plough, let in the rain and wind with a plough, and when they come to gather tho crop, found that they had but fifteen or twenty bushels to the acre. Pre cisely the same amount of labor, confined to ten acres, would have given them as heavy a yield, if not heavier, and they would have saved the fencing and breaking up or plowing the other ten acres. Such at last has been my experience for the last two years, and I believe that with deep planting, skimming tho surface between tho rows once or twice with a light sweep, and a a liberal use of the hoe, we can always make fair, if not full crops. I have never been in a country where so little work was done as in Texas; I have never been in a country where a man would gain as much as here. TBM SOf tllll KSU MMB YXIUSBX&aS. Every State in the Union has its croakers, but I believe that Texas has more than its fair share. If we happen, once in half a dozen years, to have a late frost, down come the army of croakers upon the country; if it does not happen to rain at the exact moment when they think they need it, down they come again. If a crop happens to miss, too frequently through their own negligence or inattention, the poor country has to bear a double share of blame. If all such persons would read the papers from the old States carefully, they would see that even there they do not have everything their own way.— They would see that while Northern and South ern Georgia have been drowned out by too much rain tliis summer, the middle portions have been suffering terribly from drouth. They would see, too, accounts of severe drougths in Western Tennessee and Southern Vermont, the like of which we have not experienced; they would hear, too, of the destruction of wheat fields by the nut in this section, of the depredations of the caterpillar on cotton in that section, and the losses from the boll worm in another. In short, they would find that in localities the world over, the people suffered from causes they were unable to control, and that nowhere are crops certain. Bad as the drouth has been this summer, I cannot learn that stock has suffered, save per haps in a few neighborhoods, and so long as our cattle, horses .and sheep do well we can all live. For myself, I can say that never were my flocks in more thriving or better condition—all are fat and healthy. Four days ago I weaned some fifteen hundred lambs, their average age about four months, and fatter or thriftier specimens it would be difficult to find in any country. My small cavallda or drove of mares and colts are and have been fairly rolling in fat, and all healthy through the hot weather. Whenever they come up, which is generally every week or ten days, they get a plentiful supply of salt, and that is all the cost or trouble I have with them. I mention these facts, as I know that many of our readers, and even in New Orleans, are turning their attention towards Texas and stock-raising. There are many who contend that when a wet year comes, our sheep will not do so well in Texas—will die off the first long any rainy win ter we may have. It may be so; but I shall not believe it until I see it. It rainod much of the time during the fall of’s7 and winter of ’58 —it rained until we all got sick and tired of it, and until I was compelled to pen my sheep high upon the hill sides, to keep them as much as possible out of the mud. Yet my flocks con tinued as healthy as ever, and are now in a con dition to stand even a worse siege of tho ele ments. As to the future, we shall see; but I shall continue hopeful to the end, and never croak because a shower does not happen to fall at the exact moment when it would be agreea ble. I do not give you an item of news, and for the simple reason that I have not one item to offer. I am glad to see that up to last dates it continued healthy in New Orleans; wo can boast of the same blessing here in the highlands, for I have not heard of a single case of sickness which amounted to any thing this summer; it has been what the doctors would term frightfully healthy. Yours, Ac., G. w.. K. THE CHOPS IN STEWART COUNTY. Lumpkin, Ga., ) Sept. 1, 1859.)" Mr. Editor: Believing that your paper is taken by all farmers who consult their own interest, I have thought that they would be pleased to know something regarding the crops about the “red hills” of Stewart county. Owing to the copious showers of rain which have fallen almost daily for several weeks, the cotton crop is likely to fall short of what was ox pectcd previous to the commencement of the rainy season. The “ rust ” has made its ap pearance in some places—indeed I noticed somo fields yesterday near Preston, in which it has been very destructive. There are some complaints about the “ army worm, ” but as yet, they have done little or no damage. The corn crop is good, and the yield of potatees, peas, Ac., will surely be uncommon ly large. Yours in confusion, Pbeoll. [Written for the Southern Field and Fireside.] AN AGRICULTURAL SKETCH. Dr. Lee — Dear Sir: I read with pleasure the prize essay on Agriculture in a late number’ of your paper. The author, a planter from St. Si mond's Island, has done himself credit, as well as benefited the planting interests of the coun try, should the farmers see fit to put into prac tice the plans therein suggested. The deep ditching to draw off the superfluous water, tho deep ploughing and harrowing to pulverize the soil and turn it under, and the rotation or suc cession of crops, are subjects worthy the most serious consideration of the planter. The for mation and saving of manure, and the best kind adapted to the soil, is also a matter of study. I recollect it was but a few years ago that very many farmers rejected any thing like book farm ing ; they preferred the old beaten track of their forefathers, and what is the consequence ? Old fields, old fields, to almost any extent, par ticularly in South Carolina and Georgia ; home steads abandoned—the former occupants having gone West, in search of fresh soil. llow is it that in England the land is cultivated from gen eration to generation, and the last in possession finds the soil as fertile, or even more so, than their ancestors who occupied the same spot ? I think the problem oasily solved. The agricul turists of England, as well as Scotland, under stand Agricnltural chemistry better than wo do, as farmers ; and so understanding, work their soil according to the laws of nature — ive the con trary. A now era, however is now dawning on us. The value of this science is becoming more developed, and when fully so, old fields in the old States will be as scarce as they are now in England. In tracing back the origin of agriculture, and the progress made since, I find it somewhat in teresting ; and as some of your readers may not have read it, I will copy one or two short items. Loudon states that the origin of agriculture may be traced to remote antiquity, and was doubt less coeval with that of fixed property, in the primeval state of society; the solo riches of the husbandmen consisted in flocks and herds, which were kept in a state of movement from one point to another in search of pasturage and wa ter ; but as population increased, mankind adopt ed a fixed abode. This could only bo done by bestowing on the site a certain degree of labor and care, which became, as it were, the price paid for constituting it private property. At this point in the progress of civilization, agriculture maybe said to have commenced. Cooley writes: “In tracing the progress of this art in civilized countries, we have only to follow the chronolo gy of general history, as the Greeks and Ro mans appear to have attained nearly equal ex cellence in the practice of agriculture.” Till within the present century, very little difference existed between the most approved climate analogous to that of Italy, and the agri culture of the Romans. The chief superiority of the moderns consists in their machinery, and in their knowledge of the science of the art, the last being of very recent date, and by no means general among farmers. By science improved breeds of both plants and animals have been originated, and by mo dern machinery a more perfect tillage has been produced. The history of British agriculture begins with the Roman conquests. Julius Cmsar found the inhabitants in a state of semi-barbarism; but Agricola left them in possession ot all the arts of civilization then known. Agriculture declined with the invasion of the Saxons; but was preserved through tho dark ages, after the establishment of Christianity. Agriculture revived in the reign of Henry YIIL, and in that of Elizabeth, during the long peace which then prevailed ; and it afterwards declined during the civil wars. It again revived during the reigns of William and Mary, Queen Anne, and George L, in consequence of the in troduction of Flemish husbandry, which intro duced the culture of turnips and clover. A gtill greater stimulus to the art was given during the reign of George 111., by the introduc tion of plows drawn by two horses, instead of four or six, the drill system, and its application to the culture of turnips and potatoes, and by the improvements made in the breeding and rearing of live stock, by Bakewell and Culley. Early in the present century, the threshing-machine was an important addition to agricultural machinery. The reaping-machine, the ftequent drain system, and the sub-soil plow, art of recent improve ments. Now, taking these statements into considera tion, and the present improvements in agricul ture, with our soil and climate of Georgia, we should endeavor by proper means to develope her resources, by the studj of all the fundamen tal principles of agriculture and this should be done by the whole South generally, and will, at no remote day, for I thinl it has already com menced. The principles of agriculture aro derived from a knowledge ofthe nature) jf plants and animals, of soils and manures, climite and seasons. Plants are organized beings, which take up their food by means of rod.s from the interior of the soil, and by their leaves from the atmosphere. The nature of these elemettary materials being understood, even though imperfectly, certain improvements can be effected in them by art. The fertilization of soils if suggested partly by chemical analysis, practical experience, and geo logical observation. Grqvel, sand, clay, silica, chalk, and oxide of iron, ire the principal min eral constituents of soils. Sand and lime are th« proper additions to clayey soils; and clay, gypsum or marl, to sandy and gravelly ones, and in addition to these ‘de composed vegetable and animal matter.’ The State of Georgia has in htr soils all these, with the exception of gypsum* In the application of manures, reference must be always had to the intended crop; as certain plants are found to require nourishment of dif ferent description to what is fitted for others, and will grow freely, or hot at all, -when this is absent. Wheat, for example, will not produce full grains on soil that if destitute of lime. Draining, or the operation of freeing a soil from superfluous water, is of equal, or perhaps more, importance than supplying it with manure, because, though without manure plants will not grow with great luxuriance and vigor, yet, with too much water, they will not grow at all, or will become silky. It becomes, therefore, of the first importance to have the land well drained by deep drainings, and shallow, running into the deep, if a number of ditches are required. Rotation of crops is absolutely necessary for the successful and economical cultivation of the soil. Crops may be divided into exhausting crops —restoring crops—and cleaning crops. The most exhausting crops are usually con sidered to be those of com ; but all those that are allowed to ripen their seed, and which are carried off the land, are also exhausting, but in different degrees; even clover and grass, cut green, are considered as exhausting, but in a less degree than those that are allowed to ripen. Restoring crops are such as aro allowed to de cay upon the land, or turned under, or are con sumed upon it by domestic animals. A clean ing crop is one that has to be weeded (com or cotton). In rotation of crops, tho plants should be altogether dissimilar, or not allied, so that the different substances that enter into their combination would not be exhausted. I will close this article by an extract on ma nures from some of the best authors, so that a better understanding may be had as to the fer tilizing properties of the soil. The food of vege tables, as far as their organic structure is con cerned, consists entirely of inorganic compounds. No organized body can serve for the nutrition of vegetables, until it has been, by the process of decay, resolved into certain inorganic sub stances ; these are carbonic acid, water, and ammonia, which are well known to be the pro ducts of putrefaction. But when these are supplied to vegetables, their growth will not proceed, unless certain mineral substances are likewise furnished in qualities either by the soil, or the water used to moisten it. Almost every plant, when burned, leaves ashes, which commonly contain silica, potash, and phosphate of lime; often also, mag nesia, soda, sulphates, and oxide of iron. These mineral bodies appear to be essential to the ex istence of the vegetable tissues, so that plants will not grow in soils destitute of them, however abundantly supplied with carbonic acid, ammo nia, and water. According to Leibig, tho car bon of plants is wholly derived from carbonic acid, which is either absorbed from the atmos phere and rain water, by the leaves, or from the moisture and air in the soil, by the roots. Car bon is retained and assimilated with the body of the plant, while its oxygen is given out m the gaseous form, this decomposition being always effected under the action of light, at or dinary temperatures. The hydrogen and oxygen of vegetables, which, when combined with car bon, constitutes the ligneous, starchy, gummy, saccharine, oily, and resinous matters of plants, are derived from water chiefly absorbed by the roots from the soil. The nitrogen of vegetables is derived chiefly, if not exclusively, from am monia, which is supplied to them in rain and in manures, and which remains in the soil till ab sorbed by the roots. Ordinary manures may be regarded more valuable according to the quan tity of azotized matter which they contain, and also in proportion as the decomposition of qua ternary substances acts gradually, and agrees with the progress of vegetation. Thus it is the azote in combination, contained in manures, which is especially useful, and the proportion of this, when ascertained, indicates the richness of such substances as fertilizing agehts. In reference to the mineral constituents of soils, it appears that a soil is fertile or barren for any given plant, according as it contains those mineral substances that enter into its composi tion. “Thus, the ash of wheat-straw contains much silica and potash, while the ash of the seed contains phosphate of lime and magnesia, hence, if a soil be deficient in any one of these, it will not yield wheat. On the other hand, a good crop of wheat will exhaust the soil of these substances, and it will not yield a second crop till they have been restored, either by manure, or by the gradual action of the weather in dis integrating the sub-soiL Hence, the benefit derived from resting the field, and from the ro tation of crops. “ When, by an extraordinary supply of any one mineral ingredient, or of ammonia, a large crop has been obtained, it is not to be expected that a repetition of the same individual manure next year will produce the same effect. It must be remembered, that the usual crop has exhaust ed the soil, probably of all the ..other mineral ingredients, and that they also must be restored before a second crop can be obtained. “ The salt most essential to the growth of the potatoe is the double phosphate of ammonia and magnesia, that chiefly required for hay is phos phate of lime; while, for almost all plants potash and ammonia are highly beneficial. From the principles above mentioned, we may deduce a few valuable conclusions in re gard to the chemistry of agriculture. First, by examining the ashes of a thriving plant, we discover the mineral ingredients which must ex ist in a soil to render it fertile for that plant. Secondly, by examining a soil, we can say at once whether it is fertile in regard to any plant, the ashes of which has been examined. Thirdly, when we know the defects of a soil, the deficient matters may be easily obtained and added to it, unmixed with such as are not required. Fourth ly, the straw, leaves, Ac., of any plant must be the best manure for that plant, since every vege table extracts from the soil such matter alone as is essential to it. This important principle has been amply verified by the success attend ing the use of wheat-straw, or its ashes, as manure for wheat, and the clippings of the vine as a manure for tho vineyard. Fifthly, in the rotation of crops, those should be made to fol low which require different materials; or a crop which extracts little or no mineral matter, such as peas, should come after one which exhaust the soil of its phosphates and potash. Os the chemical manures so much used, bone dust supplies the phosphates which have been extracted by successive crops of grass and corn; the whole of the bones of cattle fed on these crops having been derived from the soil, its gelatin also yields ammonia by putrefaction.— Guano acts as a source of ammonia, containing much oxalate and urate of ammonia, with some phosphates, and experiment was made this year with guano, and super-phosphate of lime the amount of two dollars and fifty cents of each article used in planting cotton; tho latter being the cheapest article went further in the rows. The result was that the latter manure in producing one-third more, the plants flourished best with the latter; the same farmer states that lie plants the same rows every year, leaving be tween the rows so poor as to enable him to keep down the grass. In planting turnips ho turns the soil with two horses to the turning plow; this done, he puts one horse to a scooter and goes through the same furrow which doesnot turn out but softens the bottom clay; he then goes over the field with a harrow, plows some five furrows to the harrow; then plants his seed in September, after which he hitches a mule to a large bush or brush from the swingle-tree, and brushes the field over. This answers in new or fresh soil; in old or cultivated fields, he plants in drills to enable him to cultivate and keep down the grass. Respectfully, 0. P. in GAPES IN CHICKENS. Messrs. Tucker A Son—As insignificant as tho subject may appear, and unworthy perhaps of an illustration, I nevertheless suggest the promulgation of the only mode by which a “poor, gaping chicken” may be as effectually cured of his malady as he is likely to die without the use of the means I propose. Ido not mean to palm off this mode as a novelty in the “ barn door practice ;” but though fanners may not be ignorant of the means, I find the manner of using them is necessary to be taught, to remove the difficulty in question, as well as special knowledge is necessary in tho amputation of a limb. Farmers neglect to acquaint themselves with this manner of cure, either from suspicions that it is impracticable, or that they are incapable of effecting a cure themselves. If my prescrip tions are strictly followed, chickens cannot die with the gapes under tho treatment, let them try never so hard. I regard all medicines for the gapes as really fool nostrums. In making the trial with the horse hair, some difficulty at first is experienced in holding tho head of the chicken still while performing the operation, as the windpipe is very sensitive; hence I have sketched the position of the fingers in which the head may be firmly held without harm to the chicken. While in this position its windpipe may be seen, and the sole cause of its distress. If the rays of the sun are permitted to fall upon its throat, the worms are more distinctly seen. The horse hair is tied in the manner shown in the drawing, and is most expedient, as other knots cause the loop C to deviate from a line straight with A and B, making it difficult to in troduce into the windpipe. The loop is about half an inch long, and rfiust be rolled between tho thumb and finger to make it angular, as at C. The introduction of the hair must first be by a quick push, and kept in its place until it can be forced down, lest the coughing of the chicken should expel it. It should be put down about an inch and a half, and twisted in its course upward. Each operation should be performer in six or eight seconds of time. It is not absolutely necessary to remove every worm from the windpipe. Coarse hairs are better than fine ones for the purpose, n. d. e. Albany Cultivator. —l » I Wi Wisconsin Wool. —The J (ihoaukie Sentinel estimates the wool crop of that State for 1859 at one million of pounds. The average price is es timated at from 39 to 42 conts per pound. At 41 cents the amount would be $410,000. THE COTTON CHOP. The present week will close the crop year, which has been a most eventful one, since it opened with every element of the largest pros perity. The panic year had passed on small consumption, leaving stocks of goods in the hands of merchants, as well as supplies of raw material in the hands of manufacturers at very low points, while returning ease in the money market has been accompanied by abundance of crops, cheapness of food, low rates of transporta tion, and every element of a large consumption of goods, promising to absorb the whole of the crop, how extensive soever it might prove to be. This promise was not disappointed up to Janu ary, but purchasers at home and abroad were very large at improving prices. The interven tion of war changed the course of events to some extent, imparting a disposition to curtail busi ness, more particularly in the United States, where the purchases of the spinners underwent a sudden curtailment for a season. As a whole, the disposition of the crop has been as follows: 1856. 1851. 1858. 1859 Crops 3,550,000 3,050,000 3,150,000 3,100,000 Expt’s 3,000,000 2,400,000 2,650,000 3,000,000 Cons'n, 550,000 650,000 450,000 700,000 The quantity exported this year has been mostly the same as in 1856, but at higher rates. The official values of that year, as compared with the current values this, have been as fol lows : Bales. Export value. 1856 2,991,175 $128,382,351 1859 3,000,000 150,000,000 Increase 21,617,649 This amount goes far towards compensating for the decline in breadstuffs. The quantity and value taken by the spinners in the United States, in the two past years, are nearly as follows: Bales. Value. 1858 450,000 $20,020,000 1859 700,000 38,500,000 Increase 250,000 18,480,000 This marks a high degree of activity among the manufacturers, and in addition to this large production the quantities imported have been considerably increased as compared with last year. The combined supply, however, as well imported as manufactured, has not, taken with last year, equaled the average of the years 1856 and 1857. The continuance of the war caused a rapid decrease in the purchases of the spinners during May and June, under the impression that a prolongation of hostilities would inevita bly cause a decline in the material. The resto ration of peace has now given a new aspect to the matter, with the promise of some years of repose, accompanied by good harvests, and an earnest desire on the part of the European gov ernments to promote confidence, and thereby develope material well-being. The demand for goods is likely to exceed that of any previous year. At the same time, the promise of the cotton crop up to this moment is, as far as can be judged at this early day, in excess of that just now brought to market. It is not impossi ble that the exports of the coming year may be pushed to 3£ millions, at a price equal to that of 1856, say average $65 per bale, which would give an export value of $210,000,000, and im part to the southern section of the country a greater degree of prosperity than ever yet fell to its lot. The character of the northern busi ness will probably change. It is always the case that a rise in the value of the raw material induces a change from coarse to fine numbers, that is to say, to put more labor and less mate rial into the fabric. At the same time, the cheap ness of food, which favors the development of city business at the expense of the agricultural sections, causes a demand for the finer qualties of cloth rather than the coarser kinds. The demand for material is at once more active since the settlement of the peace questions, and the industry of the manufacturers is daily on the in crease.—U. S. Economist. — PACKING COTTON-A WORD TO PLANTERS. The past season great complaiuts have been made, at all shipping points, about mixed packed, and wet packed cotton, that is, wet lumps, and layers of inferior quality, interspersed throughont the bale. This can be very easily avoided by keeping different qualities separate in putting it in the gin or cotton houses, and being cautious in the use of water whilst packing. Large quantities should never be suffered to accumulate in the lient room; as soon as two or three bales arc ginned it should be packed; this would prevent it from being mixed. Many planters only pack once a week, and some not oftener than once in two or three; notf in these cases, if there should be a leak in the roof, rain will get in, and from this cause wet lumps are bound to be in the bale. If the day for packing should be showery, (and many men select such days for packing) there is almost sure to be wet-layers in the bale, from the rains driving in upon it From the above causes, as well as too free use of water in endeavoring to pack heavy bales, we so frequently hear of wet packed cot ton; and owing to the accumulation of several qualities in the lint-room, it gets mixed in the bale, the value impaired, and the planter suspec ted of fraud, when, in fact, there was no inten tion to pack falsely. We venture that no man ever loses anything by being particular in put ting up cotton, but on the other hand money is actually made by it. As the season for packing is about to commence, and many planters are building new screws, we suggest that the boxes be not made more than 22 to 24 inches wide, and not more than 4| to 5 feet long. Those using Kentucky bagging should only put in as much cotton as two and a half breadths will complete ly cover. Those using India bagging should cut it in three-yard pieces, and sew the selvages well together with twine, and cut it at the bag end, so as to reverse the filling, or large thread which is much stronger, and put in no more cot ton than six yards of bagging will well cover. Put on six good ropes, securely fastened, as the bagging and rope always pays for itself. Planters storing their cotton at shipping points should see to it, that the ware houses are dry, and that the bales do not come in contact with the ground. In storing cotton at home be par ticular and keep it under cover, and if you have a landing on the river, do not suffer it to lie ex posed, but ship by first boat, as the river mud is apt to adhere to the bales, and damage them seriously. Wait for no particular boat, but al ways ship by the first boat that passes in good weather. Five hundred pounds is enough to put in a bale, for cotton will not sample as well when it is pressed too tightly, and when seven or eight hundred pounds is put in two breadths of-bagging, considerable cotton is exposed on the sides, ropes burst off, anti a loss is the con sequence. These suggestions are thrown out under the conviction that a great deal of trouble and expense might be saved to our planting 127