The Southern field and fireside. (Augusta, Ga.) 1859-1864, October 29, 1859, Page 182, Image 6

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182 AGRICULTURAL. DANIEL LEE, Iff. D., Editor. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1859. HOW AGRICULTURAL PLANTS GROW. Physiologists and chemists have found great difficulty in reaching a clear and satisfactory so lution of some of the most obvious and univer sal phenomena of vegetable development. Not only do different plants take unequal quantities of earthy salts from the same soil, and fix them in their roots, stems, leaves, bark and seeds, but the same plant rarely fails to distribute its in combustible minerals very unequally in the dif ferent parts of its numerous organs. The bark of forest trees yields more ash when burnt than the wood: and we found, by direct experiment, that pine leaves 'or straw (the long-leaf pine,) contain twelve times more mineral matter per 100 lbs. than the wood of the same tree. The ash in the seeds of corn, wheat and cotton, has three or four times more phosphoric acid than that in their stems. In his recent “Letters on Modern Agriculture,” Baron Liebig contends that the earthy minerals found in plants, with rare exceptions, do not enter their roots in solu tion. or dissolved in water, but are extracted from the earth by the rootlets and their spongioles, in some unknown manner. Read the following extract from his second Letter: j “We have hitherto believed that plants re- > ceived their food from a solution, and that the 1 rapidity of its effect was in direct proportion to ; its solubility. We have supposed the active ele- < ments to be carried in solution in rain water and * carbonic acid to their roots, and have regarded 1 them (the plants) in the light of sponges, half in < the moist ground and half in the air, continuously , absorbing by their roots the water which evapo rated from their leaves. Whatever was in solu tion passed with the water into the roots, and by the process of nutrition was appropriated by the plant. The soil and the plant were both passive in the operation. Vegetable physiology lias taught that an ele ment of food in the soil at a distance from the rootlets of plants, is available as nourishment, provided there is water between the rootlets and the food to dissolve the latter. In consequence of the evaporation from the leaves, the rootlets suck up the water, which thus, with the substances dissolved in it, re ceives a movement onward towards them. We believed that the water was the carrier of the most remote elements of the soil to the imme diate presence of the plant. But all thin has been a great mistake. We have inferred from the effect of water and carbonic acid on rocks, a similarity of action on soils, but this conclusion is false. There is not to be found in chemistry a more wonderful phenomenon, one which more con founds all human wisdom, than is presented by the soil of a garden or field. By the simplest experiment one may satisfy himself that rain water filtered through field or garden soil does not dissolve out a trace of pot ash, silicic acid, ammonia, or phosphoric acid. The soil does uot give up to the water one par ticle of the food of plants which it contains. The most continuous rain cannot remove from the field, except mechanically, any of the essen tial constituents of its fertility. The soil not only retains firmly all the food of plants which is actually in it, but its power to preserve all that may be useful to them extends much further. If rain or other water, holding in solution ammonia, potash, phosphoric and si lilic acids, be brought in contact with the soil, these substances disappear almost immediately from the solution; the soil withdraws them from the water. Ouly such substances are completely withdrawn by the soil as are indispensable arti cles of food for plants: all others remain wholly, or in part, in solution.” The learned author evidently has all confi dence in the correctness of what he so dogmati cally asserts to be true; nevertheless, we are equally confident that he is mistaken. That land irrigated by spring and river water holding "arious salts in solution, will absorb a part of them from such water, is a fact proved by direct experiment ■ but that the salts in the spring water, (tho*s 0 f lime in limestone water, for in stance,) are ta** a f rom the ground, will hardly be denied by any ono . jn cases where pure water apparently fails *q obtain any potash, am monia, silicic or ac |d f ro)n aBO the quantity present is too smali» 0 yield satisfactory tests to re-agents; and its appa« n t absence no more disproves the presence of sucit minerals in the water, in an exceedingly diluted state, than the inability of chemists to find iodine in sea water that supplies sponges so abundantly with this mineral, disproves its existence in the sea. Many elements of plant food exist so sparingly in«lay, sand and mould, that plants obtain only a few grains in the course of twelve months’ growth, iq that length of time a large amount of water enters their roots and escapes by evap oration from their Xqves. Nor is the supply of soluble agricultural safc* limited to the current of water drawn towards leaves by evapora ion, as many have taught well-known law that when any dissolves in water, it does not completely w hich surrounds the solid, but diffuses itself inhqhdte ly, forming often so weak a solution that no w will indicate its presence; as when a grain dt salt is dissolved in a hogshead of water. A grain of the nitrate of potash, of super-phosphate of lime, and one of sulphate of magnesia, will bo equally diffused through a like quantity of water. The same is true of a grain of muriate of ammonia. Water holding these different salts in solution, passes freely into the different cells and vessels of plants, and there is met by their various organs with their diversified natu ral wants. The cuticle of the several grasses, reeds, canes, carices, &c., demand much flint, which is deposited in a solid state. The seeds of these plants require more phosphates, and these also are extracted from the same water. The woody part of all plants consumes much potash, soda, or lime, in the production of cells or their contents. So soon as any of these min erals are withdrawn from the water, others of the same name and nature pass into the plant from the soil by the law of saline diffusion, to tmm bo’wtmmxm mu Jura wmm&mm. fill the mineral vacuum, so to speak, caused by the withdrawal of the salts solidified in the growth of the vegetable. This passage of mat ters dissolved in water into the circulating tubes and cells of plants, is, in a large degree, inde pendent of all evaporation from their leaves. Sponges growing under water, and all plants surrounded by an atmosphere nearly saturated with moisture, must have little or no current de rived from the vaporisation of water, yet they often grow rapidly. The law that governs the diffusion of gases, both in the atmosphere and in water, causes them also to seek to fill all space. Hence, a small quantity of caustic lime or potash will soon imbibe all the carbonic acid in a cubic foot of atmosphere: this gas passing by the law of diffusion through the air on all sides till it reach es the caustic alkali, for which it has a strong affinity. It becomes a part of lime-rock and a solid, just as wood is mainly solidified carbon and the elements of water. A plant possesses many affinities, or peculiar forces, in place of one, two, or three, as is seen in simple elemen tary bodies. It is hardly probable that they give out anything analogous to the excrements of animals either by their leaves or roots. While growing, they are always bathed in water and air, neither of which is quite free of earthy salts. We found over one per cent of ash in the hang ing swamp-moss below Augusta; one half of which or more, was lime. A growing plant is a chemical apparatus of remarkable power; but all its elements are either liquified or gaseous before their organization takes place. Accord ing to an able writer in the Country Gentleman, Sachs and Stoeckiiardt have lately demonstra ted by numerous trials, that cereal and legumin ous grains, clover and beets, attain a vigorous development and blossom, with their roots in water holding the proper salts in solution, with out any soil whatever being near them. Plants grow well with their roots in pounded glass, when duly watered with a solution of fitting aliment. Indeed,the use of liquid manure is about as old as Adam; and this last theory of Liebig is likely to prove more damaging to his reputa tion than any other. When not deprived of a fair allowance of water, all agricultural plants flourish with their appropriate elements, if ex ceedingly diluted. It may be that one part in 200,000 of sed, perhaps in some cases one in a million, will snffice to give a crop. We need careful experiments to determine the minimum of ammonia, potash, magnesia, phosphoric and sulphuric acids, demanded by nature to produce each of our great staples. In a report made to the New York Legislature in 1843 by the writer, which may be found in the Transactions of the State Agricultural Society of that year, we said; “ Persons unacquainted with the compound na ture of wheat, are apt to imagine that the ap plication of one fertilising element, lime for in stance, ought to produce a good crop. They are ignorant of the fact that every seed and stem of wheat has twelve other indispensable ingre dients in its composition. Millions of days of hard labor are annually thrown away in New York alone, in a vain attempt to transmute one mineral into another. Farmers are searching for some philosopher’s stone that will change lime into potash, potash into magnesia, magnesia into Hint, Hint into sulphur, sulphur into iron, iron into phosphorus, phosphorus into nitrogen, nitrogen into carbon, and carbon into oxygen. When a man can make the half of a thing equal to the whole, then he may raise a good crop of wheat where his soil lacks half of the elements of that grain.” Many will never see the absurdity of wasting the labor of millions every year, in trying to do what is as impossible as to create a bale of cot ton out of nothing. If one cannot command success, he can at least cease to throw away the very valuable strength of man and beast where the return in crops is unsatisfactory. Labor had better be employed in some other pursuit than that of agriculture, if one is compelled to till poor land, and make even that less productive. Every plant must have its peculiar wants met in the right way. The presence of salts not needed in the cells of a growing crop, do no harm, if not in excess. The living organism appropriates what is required, if available, and no more. What the cultivator ought to learn by experiment, is the elements really absent, or those present in too small a quantity. Who can say and adduce evidence of the fact that cow peas are really better than cotton to enrich land, provided both plants are treated alike ? How much of the substance of each is derived from the atmosphere and rain water ? How much comes from the substance of the soil which sur rounds the roots of each plant? A thousand dollars wilt pay for and procure a true answer to these questions. — Insulated Castings. —Mr. Calvin Adams, of Pittsburg, Pa., has recently discovered that an important electrical change takes place, when molten iron solidifies in cooling. By insulating the moulds, and the man pouring m the liquid metal, the castings from common iron came out as white as silver and hard as steel. This is another evidence of the universality of this subtle j tpree, and though it is not as yet applied to any l\etical purpose, such phenomena cannot fail eve ~ to produce useful effects. \ « 111 CoTSwcSp and Leicester Sheep. —Mr. John Snell, of West, exhibited at the recent New \ ork Fa\tvv o Cotswold sheep; the one weighed 390 an( j tlie other 303 pounds. A Leicester ram Plowing bt Steam. —is said in some of our northern exchanges success which has been witnessed in the opy-ations of plows worked by steam. This is fanftg farming. The Sugar Crop. —The editor orriie Plaque mine (Iberville Parish) Gazette <fe Sbdiml says that the present crop will fall short 300X>0 hlids. The cane is both short and small, and tlik stand is not a good one. The editor adds that there is not one single planter in the Parish who can b»ast of a first rate crop. AGRIC IiTURAI EDUCATION. ' Nothing moi forcibly shows the advance in public sentimei; on the great question of making Agriculture an/ intellectual calling, and study ing it as an h norable profession, than the e - made in i svcral States to found Agricultu ral Colleges. These institutions, under the name of seho< s, have been in successful opera tion in Europi for over half a century, and giv en universal itisfaction. They happily unite science with ractice in all farming operations, and thereby a ain results which are wholly un attainable in iny other way. They apply to agricultural in ustry the universal law, that hu man ignorance is weakness, and human know ledge power. school is an admirable contri vance for bol teaching and learning useful knowledge, j pplied to agriculture, it collects into suitable a: 1 convenient text books, all the more important fwts relating to tillage, crops, manures, live stoik, the improvement of land and farm and from these data, based alike on loig experience, close observa tion, and scientist research, the true principles of this old art, tilt new profession, are estab lished. As asc nee, agriculture is in its in fancy, and therelfe needs kindly treatment, and the fostering ca ) of all its friends. But in place of kindness it is in some danger of being maltreated by uniing to the agricultural chair in Franklin colleg. duties never contemplated by the munificen founder of this new Professor ship. Instead of tllowing the incumbent to de vote his whole tir ? and energies to the advance ment of Southern agriculture, partly through the public press, nd partly by oral lectures in the University, at was well understood by Dr. Terrell during 1 s life-time, and the gentleman whom he named s not unworthy of the place, we learn that an Tort will be made next week, when the Board ( Trustees meet at Milledge ville, to attach tl i professorship of Chemistry, (which is now a p*rt of the curriculum of the College,) to the chair of Scientific Agriculture. This if consummated, will defeat the purpose to es%blish an agricultural school in connection with) he Terrell professorship, as was desired by Dii Terrell. It will be a step backward in the study of ag riculture which camot bo justified by any sup posed or real w aps of Franklin College. Its Trustees have nevtr, to our knowledge, given a dollar to provide alecture room for the agricul tural department; nor have they bought a sin gle book or other material, needful either to teach or study rurq affairs with success, since the professorship yas founded. If nothing can be done to aid title branch of learning, surely nothing ought to bi done to injure it. Let it re main where Dr. Trirell left it, until public sen tirhent advances tc the elevated point attained by the distinguished patron of scientific agricul ture. Already the present and prospective pa tronage of The Full and Fireside has enabled the Terrell professor to commence a series of experiments with numerous grasses, and sheep husbandry, which promise useful results. The manure produced by some sixty horses at a livery stable has been engaged for five years, for experimental purposes ; and so fast as means can be had they will be used to promote both the art and the science of good husbandry. One man, with nothing but his own hands to work with, can hardly be expected to make a large fortune at once on land, which, with the best possible culture, unaided by manure, will not grow one barrel of corn per acre. —-4|. ■*»*■ Clark County Agricultural Society. FIRST ANNUAL FAIR, 1859. We give below a full list of the premiums awarded at the late Fair in Athens, at which la dies and gentlemen from several counties were competitors. In devoting so much space to the premiums, we deny ourself room for editorial notice of many things deserving commenda tion. The horses and mules presented abetter show than we have ever before seen in the .South ; but the exhibition of neat cattle, sheep and swine, was quite limited, and poor enough. The same counties will do far better next year. We are indebted to Mr. Sledge, of the Athens Banner, for the list. For best acre corn (bottom land) M C M Hammond, Clark co., $lO 00 do best bushel stock corn, Dr. Henry Hull, Clark co., 1 00 do best bush, bread corn, Henry Jennings. Clark co., 1 00 do best acre sweet potatoes, J B Hart, Green co., 5 00 do best 2 bales crab grass hay, J B Hart, Green co., 2 00 do best bale fodder, John H Newtou, Clark co., 2 00 do best gal. syrup, (Chinese cane,) John Colt, Clark co., 1 Ofi do best bush, white wheat, J B Hart, Green co., 1 00 do best bush, red wheat, Shelton Oliver, Oglethorpe co., 1 00 do best bush, sweet potatoes, Dr N w Pridgeon, Clark co., 1 00 do best bush. Hay ti yams, Mrs Dr Carlton, Clark co, 1 00 do best bush. Irish potatoes, Mrs Col Bil lups, Clark co., 1 00 do best 4 pumpkins, Henry Davenport, • Clark co., 2 00 do best bush, turnips, Jno II Newton, Clark co., 1 00 do best bush, black oats. Berryman Camp, Jackson co., 1 00 do best bush, rye, J N Lester, Clark co, 1 00 do best field peas, Jos M Williams, Clark co., 1 00 do best Georgia-raised match horses, Dr J A Price, Clark co., 10 00 do best Georgia-raised single harness horse, Wm A Woodis, Clark co., 5 00 do best Georgia-raised saddle horse, Jno S Jackson, Green co., 5 00 do best Southern-raised match horses, Wm A Carr, Clark co., 10 00 do best match-horses open to the world, R S Taylor, Clark co., 10 00 do best Southern-raised single harness horse, W J Morton, Clark eo., 5 00 do best blood stallion 4 years old, Col R Jordan, Jasper co., 10 00 do best blood mare 4 years old, Col R Jor dan, Jasper co., 10 00 do best blood filly 2 years old, Jas Milli can, Jackson co., 5 00 The committee noticed favorably two other stallions of high merit, belonging to Mr A B Jackson, of Clark co., and Mr J L Hart, o f Og lethorpe co. To fine Arabian stallion, owned by Mr. Jesse D Gilbert, Atlanta, Hon. do best Morgan stallion “Shooting Star,” 4 years old, Shelton Oliver, Oglethorpe co., 10 00 East Southern-raised horse, Jas C Branch, Clark co., 10 00 do horse open to the world, G C Rogers, Atlanta—time 3 9£. 10 00 Best stallion, (all work,) Shelton Oliver, Oglethorpe co., 10 00 do horse colt 3 years old, S Whitehead, Clark co., 5 00 do horse colt 2 years old, James Millican, Jackson co., 5 00 do horse colt 1 year old, J S Jackson, Green co., 5 00 do mare (all work,) H Hull, jr., Clark co., 10 00 do mare 3 years old, Sanford Mathews, Clark co., 5 00 do filly 2 years old, Col A Grifleth, Ogle thorpe co., 5 00 do filly 1 year old, J S Jackson, Green co., 5 00 do mare and horse colt, N H Wier, Clark co., 10 00 do mare and mule colt, John W Harris, Walton co., 10 00 do colt under 1 year old, H W Johnson, Oglethorpe co., 5 00 The committee noticed favorably two very fine fillies, each one year old, exhibited by Col. John Billups and 11. Hull, jr., also a two year old filly owned by Mr. N. H. Wier. Best Georgia raised Jack, J. B. Smith, of Oglethorpe county, 10 00 do Imported Jack, John White, of Clark county, 10 00 do Imported Jennett, John White, Clark county, 10 00 do Georgia raised Jennett, Mid. Thomp son, Clark county, 10 00 do pair mules, John S. Jackson, Green county, 10 00 do single mule, Col. A. Griffeth, Ogle thorpe county, 5 00 do Two year old mule oolt, 11. Hull, jr., Clark county, 5 00 do one year old mule colt, 11. W. Sheats, Walton county, 5 00 do Grade bull, W. R. Waring, Habersham county. 5 00 do Grade cow three years old, Mrs. Dr. Ware, Athens, 5 00 do Grade heifer calf one year old, James Galloway, Athens, 2 00 do native bull, Joseph M. Williams, Clark county, 5 00 do native milch cow three years old, Jno Sturges, Clark county, 5 00 do native heifer one year old, L. J. Lamp kin, Clark county, 2 00 do native heifer calf, A. S. Dorsey, Clark county, 2 00 do fatted beef, Dr. 11. Hull, Athens, 5 00 do three sheep (buck, ewe and lamb,) Bernard Franklin, Athens, 5 00 do lot cashmere goats, John H. Newton, Athens, . 5 00 do boar, W. R. Waring, Habersham eo. 500 do breed sow, J. B. Cobb, Athens, 5 00 do yoke oxen, Asbury Hull, Athens, 5 00 do half-dozen bacon sides, Jno. F. Foster, Clark county, 5 00 do half-dozen bacon hams, Mr. A. C. Mid dlebrook, Clark county, 5 00 do half-dozen bacon shoulders, J. F. Fos ter, Clark county, 5 00 do half-dozen bacon hams, Mrs. Dr. Hull, Athens, Hon. do half-dozen bacon hams, Mrs. John Williams, Clark county, Hon. do fresh butter, Mrs. W. J. Parks, Jack son county, 2 00 do fresii butter, Mrs. Dr. Orr, Athens, Hon. do fresh butter, Mrs. Shelton Oliver, Ogle -1 tliorpe county, do do fresh butter, Mrs. Wier, Clark county, do do fresh butter, Mrs. Middlebrook, Clark i county, do do fresh butter, Mrs. Middleton Thomp son, Clark county, do * do fresh butter, Mrs. Thos. E. Epps, > Clark county, do 1 do fresh butter, Mrs. John Williams, of Clark county, do . do lard, Mrs. Eleanor Moore, Clark co. 200 The committee highly commend the lard of s Mrs. Jno. Billups, Mrs. Toseph F. Morton, Mrs. > John I. Huggins and Mrs. I. S. Vincent. . Best hard soap, Mrs. R. R. Winfrey, of Oglethorpe county, $2 00 Honors also awarded for hard soap, to Mrs. P. W. Thomas, of Athens, Mrs. J. B. Hart, of Green county, and Mrs. J. I. Huggins, of Athens. > Best bore tallow candles, Mrs. Jno. White, Clark county, 2 00 I do bushel dried apples, Mrs. J. N. Wier, Clark county, 2 00 > Honors also for dried apples, to Mrs. J. B. Hart, of Green county, and Mrs. Camak l of Athens. Best bushel dried peaches, Mrs. S. B. i Hart, Green county, 2 00 Honor to Mrs. R. H. Goodman, Athens, > for the same. Largest collection of pickles, jo u/oS i &c --i Mrs. M. S. Durham, f»«rk county, 2 00 Best collection of pities, catsups, &c., I Mrs. Wmp Rutherford, Athens, 2 00 do bran Jr peaches, preserves, &c., Mrs. it. H. Goodman, Athens, 2 00 Beautiful Jelly, Mrs. Y. I. G. Harris, of Athens, Hon. Best fig preserves, Mrs. Y. L. G. Harris, Athens, Hon. Pickles & preserves, Mrs. P. W. Thomas Athens, do Pickles, &e., Mrs. S. M. Lanier, Athens, do Pickles, &c. Mrs. Henry Davenport, of Clark county, do Citron and muscadine preserves, Miss Lizzie Moore, Clark county, do Best French Rolls, Mrs. Jno. Billups, Athens, $2 00 Light bread and rolls, Mrs. Wray, Athens, Hon. Ornamented cake, very beautiful, Mrs F W Lucas, Athens, do Excellent fruit cake, Mrs S II Maxwell, Athens, do Beautiful houey, William Epps, Esq., Clark co., - do do honey, Mrs. Dr. Ware, Athens, do Light bread and rolls, Mrs. Dr. Ware, Athens, $2 00 Pound cake, Mrs. T. R. R. Cobb, Athens, 2 00 Best 10 yards negro cloth, Mrs. S. B. Jones, Morgan co. 2 00 do 10 yards carpeting, Mrs. I.S. Vincent, Clark co.. 2 00 do coverlet of wool, Mrs. A. Griffith, Oglethorpe co., 2 00 do 10 yards jeans, Mrs. Sarah Ann Wil liams, Madison co., 2 00 do Counterpane of cotton, Mrs. R. R. Wmfrep, Oglethorpe co., 2 00 do Table cover, (raised work,) Mrs. M. L. Yigal, Athens, 2 00 do Ottoman, (raised work,) Miss Bush, Banks co. 2 00 do specimen of embroidery, Miss Mar garet Phinizy, Athens, 2 00 do specimen of crochet work, Miss Anna Heins, Athens, 2 00 do patchwork cotton quilt, Mrs. C. B. Lyle, Oglethorpe co., 2 05 do patchwork silk quilt, Mrs. L. J. Lamp kin, Athens, 2 00 do raised do cotton do Mrs. W. Y. Elder, Clarke co., 2 00 do collar and undersleeves, Mrs. M.* A. Yeatcli, Athens, * 200 do child’s handkerchief, Miss Sallie Ward, Athens, 2 00 do shirt and 6 collars, (made by a young lady,) Miss Lucy C. Ware, Athens, 5 00 do vest, Miss Fannie J. Dixon, Ath ens, gold thimble, do pair negro blankets, Mrs. R. R. Win frey, Oglethorpe co. 2 00 do sack flour, (white wheat,) J. H. New ton, Athens, 2 00 do do do (red wheat,) L. W. Shack leford, Athens, 2 00 do Bale kersey, Grady A Nicholson, Ath ens, 3 00 do do cotton shirting, Athen’s mfng Co. Athens, 2 00 do pair Gents’ boots, N. W. Haudrup, Athens, 2 00 do sample cotton-belting, Mr. R. R. Win frey, Oglethorpe co., 1 00 do dozen pair russet shoes, McCleskey A Doyle, Athens, 2 00 do collection of leather, John Harris, Watkinsville, 2 00 do plow for general use, J. B. Jackson, Clarke co. 5 00 do turning plow, W. S. Hemphill, Ath ens, 2 00 do Subsoil plow, James P. Mayne, Clark county, 5 00 do 2 horse wagon, E. R. Hodgson A Bro’s, Athens, 5 00 do bobbins and other turned ware, E. J. McCall & Co., Clark co., 5 00 do Moveable horse-power, T. H. Wilson & Bro’s, Athens, 2 00 do cotton gin, J. W. A L. L. Moore, Cum ming, Ga. 5 00 The committee recommended, in the highest terms, a superior subsoil and turning plow, ex hibited by Redmond, of Augusta, which receiv ed no premium, not being embraced in the pre mium list. Best and largest collection of fruit, W. N. White, Athens, 2 00 do collection of fruit trees, Dr. N. W. Pridgeon, Clarke co. 5 00 Largest collection of vegetables, Mrs. M. S. Durham, Clarke co. 3 00 do collection of Georgia raised garden seed, (80 varieties,) Mrs. Mary Smith, Athens, 5 00 Best half dozen blackberry wine, Mrs. L. W. Shackleford, Athens, 3 00 do landscape painting, Mrs. R. H. Good man, Athens, 5 00 do paintings (portraits,) Miss M. Frank lin, Athens, 5 00 do picture frame, (made by a lady,) Miss H. C. Newton, Athens, 2 00 do specimen crayon drawing, Miss J. M. Comer, Athens, 2 00 do painting of fruit (in oil) Mrs. R. H. Goodman, Athens, 5 00 In this department, many beautiful speci mens were exhibited, of paintings in oil, by Mrs. J. B. Hart of Greene, Miss M. A. Cumack, of Athens, and Mrs. L. W. Shackleford, and in wa ter colors by Mrs. Henry Davenport, of Clarke; in Grecian, by Mrs. Dr. Carlton, of Athens; in India Ink, by Mrs. L. W. Shackleford, of Athens, and a beautiful Alpine Shepherd Boy, in Porce lain, by Mrs. Dr. Hull, of Athens. Mr. J. F. O’Kelley, of Athens, exhibited 8 photograph portraits, beautifully executed. The lady of W. L. Mitchell, Esq., added to the exhibition, some very ingeniously executed picture frames, in shell work. Mrs. Dr. Orr, of Athens presented a tasteful boquet, of feather flowers, and Mrs. O. A. Bailey, of Clarke, two boquets, composed of upwards of eighty varie ties of native grasses, which elicited much com mendation. Mrs. William Rutherford, also ex hibited a Kaleideseope, and a Stereoscope, of her own manufacture, ingeniously executed, and Mrs. General Gerdine, a hair wreath of exquis ite finish and beauty. In the miscellaneous department among a great many articles, though worthy of commen dation, the committee mention the following: 1 combination gun, made by W. J. Elder, Clarke co. Lot of buggy spokes, by E. J. McCall & Co., Athens. Portable baby chair, by A. Gilmore Athens. Lot of sawed laths, by Thomas -M- Epps, Clarke co. Saw sett, by J. P. Msj ue, Clarke co. Buggy rug, door siats, Ac., by Moss A Newton, Athens. Bed-ste« J and bed stead posts, by E. J. McCall Hr 00., Athens. 1 chost of carpenter's tools, by A. Gilmore, Athens. 1 Georgia made buggy, J. P. Mayne, Clarke co. 1 pair ottomans, Mrs. J. W. Reaves, Atheus. 1 seamless well bucket, T. G. Launius, Morgan 00. 1 box superior tobacco, J. W. Reaves, Athens. 1 washing machine, J. H. Newton, Athens. Premiums were also awarded for Miniature buggy, Master Win. B. Jones, Clarke Co. $1 00 1 pair Alesbury and crested ducks, M. G. Lumpkin, Athens. 1 00 1 extension dining table, Wm. E. Dick son, Athens. 2 willow baskets, Mrs. Williams, Jack son co. 1 00 1 cotton seed sower and 1 corn and seed planter, J. M. Mitchell, Webster co. 3 00 The young ladies connected with the “Lucy Cobb Institute," made a large and most beauti ful contribution of their taste and skill, many ar ticles of which, were not embraced in the pre mium list, and none of which, by an unfortunate oversight, were regularly entered. The committee appointed to examine and re port upon the various articles o! handiwork, kindly contributed by these young ladies, made a most flattering and commendatory report, em bracing the following list: Sofa cushion. Miss M. Phinzy, Pm do do Mary Lamar, Lamp mat, do Annie Cox, Pin cushion, do Sallie Suttle, Wax fruit, do do do Foot-stool, do Callie Cox,