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THE SOUTHERN WORLD, JULY 1, 1882,
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it is left to hatch. In a few days—the time
depending on the temperature of the water—
the eggs hatch, not a frog, but a tadpole,
breathing like a fish through gills, and liv
ing entirely in water as fish do.
This tadpole grows very rapidly and in ten
or twelve days the transformation to the
frog commences by the appearance of the
two hind legs; next comes the fore-legs and
the little fellow presents the curious appear
ance of a frog with a tail. The horny beak with
which the tadpole's mouth is armed now
drops offand the toad’s mouth takes its place.
Gradually the tail is absorbed and a diminu
tive toad leaves the water, breathes like an
animal through nostrils instead of gills, and
now may be drowned in water while the
tadpole would have been drvumed in air. The
little toad now starts out to make his living
by catching the insects which trouble us so
much by destroying our vegetables and
flowers. We hope the boys who read this
will never wantonly kill toads again.
J. S. N.
Compost for the Garden.
Vegetables need a cool, loamy, moist soil
deeply broken and thoroughly pulverized.
All observant Southern gardeners huve
noticed the beneficial effects upon the soil,
produced by the very heavy mulch used on
Irish potatoes after it becomes partially de
composed and incorporated with the soil.
It darkens its color thus increasing its
power of absorbing heat; it improves the
mechanical condition of the soil, rendering
it more pulverulent and enabling it to bet
ter absorb and retain moisture; it adds to
the supply of pluut food in the soil what
ever the substance used for the mulch con
tains, and in a readily available form.
Now let us learn a lesson from this obser
vation and utilize otherwise wasted mate
rial in preparing a most valuable vegetable
compost for the garden.
Select some convenient point readily ac
cessible from the garden and house. Dig
out a space ten feet in diameter and two
feet deep. Into this pit collect the weeds,
grass, trash and scrapings of the walks in
the garden, sweepings of the yard, scrapings
from tlie fence corners and occasionally
scrapings about the horse and cow lots.
When any considerable quantity of green
vegetable matter is thrown into the pit
sprinkle air-slaked lime over it and throw
in a luyer of earth. Empty all slops from
the house nml kitchen over the heap. Throw
the ashes and soapsuds, sweepings from the
fowl-house—indeed all refuso matter col
lected about tho premises into the heap.
Continue this through the summer and fall.
Itefore plowing the garden in winter cut
down the heap and mingle with it a few
sacks of high grade super pliosplmto and
spread broadcast over the soil. A large
quantity of vegetable mold may be collected
through the year in this way which from our
experience with it is inferior to nothing we
have ever applied. A quantity of good
manure may thus be collected principally
from substances which would otherwise be
wasted. J. 8. N.
The Soap Tree.
There is a tree in the forests of Chili,
which is called, from the fact that its bark
contains the saponacious element, quillaja
laponaria, the soap-yielding tree. For dress
ing silk and wool, it is said, chemical science
has not yet discovered any equally efficient
substitute for the bark of this tree, and it
has accordingly come into large demand,
in France and England. Australia and New-
zealand are both great wool-producing coun
tries, and consequently, they are interested
to procure an ample supply of such a pow
erful alkaloid. The climate, in some of the
extreme British colonies, must be similar to
that of Chili, and, unless the soil of Chili
is peculiarly adapted to the growth of this
tree, there seems to be no reason, why the
quillaja should not become acclimated in
some of them. If it could become acclim
ated in Australia, it would be a grateful re
turn for the Australian euealyptue, which,
with this wonderful property of rendering
miasmatic localities healthy, has been so
beneficial to the southern states. Perhaps
the quillcja might also be acclimated in In
dia, as every variety of soil Is found there,
and the indigenous silk manufacture would
be greatly benefitted by a supply of a cheap
and powerful cleansing material. Possibly,
it might be acclimated in some parts of our
extensive domain; a thing desirable, for,
owing to the recklessness with which the
natives strip off the bark, the tree is fast
disappearing from the Chilian forests.
Stirring the soil soon after a rain is one
of the cardinal principles of the gospel of a
new agriculture.
fgg Mtock department
Georgia Scrubs.
Editor Southern World—The Georgia
Scrub is somewhat agitating the public
mind, and I have been asked in a somewhat
surprised way, why a man of my intelli
gence should advocate her. I will try, and
in as lucid a manner as it is possible, state
my reason for her support, or rather the de
fense of and advocacy of Georgia scrub cat
tle.
First, because nineteen-twentieths of our
people own the scrub cow; she was good
enough for our daddy’s in days of yore
and she should not be ignored, she is the
foundation upon which our people must
build the fabric of our dairying industry.
The stock, or no fence law, at no distant
day will have control of this State—(God
speed the day)—when we as a people will look
to our own interests in all things, and more
especially in cows. Wen a man finds that
his cow of to-day, with free pasturage from
all over the country, is dear at $10 or $15 per
head—that under the law that compels him
to keep her at home and feed her or starve
her, as his interests dictate, that his cow from
scrawny bones sticking through a more dead
than live hide, has turned into a very re
spectable cow of $30 to $40 value, he will ap
preciate the law and the cow. Then when
next he wants her to bring forth offspring
that free bull, of worse than scrub stock an
cestry, is no longer available, and he casts his
eyes around to find where the available ani
mal is to be found. No, nary—not a b— in
ten miles, save neighbor Progress’ fine Jersey
or Holstein, and that animal costs $5. Well,
it is no use talking, the old cow must give
milk or go to the butcher; ah, well I’ll jis
lead her over to neighbor Progress’ and raise
mo a fine young cow. Thus in half of one
decade we will have all graded stock all over
the State, and in the year 1900 we will have
no Georgia scrubs, but instead, the Georgia
improved cows, the best in the world.
Ah, ha, says some one, you are changing
your tunc ; you arc for grades, you are com
ing over to the fancy cow-men. Oh no, not
at all. Yes, only by degrees. Tell me wlmt
lias fine stock men done for the dairying in
terests of Georgia or for themselves either?
So far as that is concerned, they have not
made ten per cent, upon their investment in
fine stock, and only to a limited extent,
graded the cattle in their immediate neigh
borhoods, while I am demonstrating that
scrub cows will pay from eight to ten ]icr
cent per month and their keep. If a scrub
will do it, won’t a better cow pay better? If
I can do this, are there not in the State fifty
thousand more men or women that can do
the same ? Can you find one hundred men
with the inclination and the means, in this
State to follow the leadership of fino stock
men ? I speak to the middle class of men
and women who have their homestead and a
few cows. These are the people that have
got to do that, must and will develop the
dairying interests of Georgia. I thank my
opponents, the faucy stock raisers for their
aid in introducing them. Wo, the rank and
file, will utilize them at no distant day. The
calf next. Wm. J. Camp.
German Carp,
Editor Southern World.—As you have
been an advocate of the interests of the
South, I thought a few words about the fa
mous carp furore would not be out of place.
They are a great fish and splendid table fish;
but whalet are not raised in small bodies of
water, and a carp to weigh 4 or 6 pounds is
a splendid fellow. They are not a wide fish
on the shad or perch order, but are built
more like the red horse or hump back
sucker. One 18 inches long is perhaps 3%
or 4 inches wide and perhaps 2 inches thick
at the largest part of the body. Artificial
food may grow them well, but it takes nat
ural food such as aquatic plants, bugs,
worms, roots and such things that they
have to root after. Carp spawn at the age
of two years in our latitude, and carp that
hatch this year will not spawn until 1884.
I sell this year’s carp at ten cents each, and
last year’s at twenty cents each; the latter
will spawn next year and they are worth all
the money charged for them at these fig
ures, and did I not have them, knowing
what I do about them, I would give $5 each
to get a start. I write this for the benefit of
those who write me in regard to fish and
to those who may want information about
such things hereafter. I say to all readers
don't believe too big a Juh etory. I am writ
ing from nine years experience and stating
what I honestly believe the truth. If a 3
to 6 pound carp can be raised it ought to
satisfy any man. I go now on small pond
schedule; of course in a large body of water
they grow to an enormous size. I grow 3
varieties of carp, and all of fine delicate, de
licious flavor. I think the large scale a lit
tle different in flavor. I furnish shipping
cans free. Hastily, yours, A. A. Wriuht.
Griffin, Ga.
FARMING IN MISSISSIPPI.
Mayersville, Mississippi.
Editor Southern World—I am more than
pleased to see the growing interest of our
agricultural people in the progressive era
now rapidly dawning upon the South; this
interest is made manifest by the extensive
circulation of such worthy journals as the
Southern World, Some and Farm and many
others. Their success is the best evidence of
a new and better state of affairs among
farmers generally. Good journals and news
papers are great educators of the people, and
no country can prosper without them;
hence the wise action of our forefathers in
guaranteeing the freedom of the Press—se
curing for their descendants greater and
more extended knowledge of a useful
character than they enjoyed in those days.
With newspapers to spread over the land
useful knowledge, new discoveries, inven
tions, etc., is it any wonder that people of
the present day are more enlightened,
farther advanced in the sciences and arts
than those of the past generation?
The Southern World comes a welcome
visitor to our household every fifteen days.
We find much to interest us, much to pre
serve in memory for future use, and I will
join my voice with its many readers in giv
ing it all praise.
A word from this portion of our common
country may serve to interest your readers,
since it may be said that this is peculiarly a
cotton producing county. From this and
connecting river counties comes what is
known in the cotton market as “beadees,"
being cotton of more than average length
of staple, commanding usually from % to 1
cent more per pound than upland cotton. It
seems to be a peculiar nature of the soil that
causes the difl'ercnce in the staple, since we
plant no particular long staple variety. The
Chinese Prolific, Peeler, Taylor, and several
others, only an improved variety of tho
common sorts, springing originally from the
lloyd, Dixon and other seeds. From Vicks
burg, Mississippi, to the upper end of Boli
var county in this State, long staple cottons
seem to flourish and give better results than
in other portions of the South, and I feel
assured that in the near future, the longest
staple cottons grown will come from this
district. I make no exception as to sen Is
land, for I am satisfied, from observation
and experiment, that a longer staplo cotton
than the sea Island can and will be grown in
some future day, and not far distant either.
I have now growing ten rows of cotton that
I feel assured will give nearly three inches
staple Last year I had two stalks that 1
found growing in the midst of my “cobweb”
cotton that gave this average from every
boll upon the two stalks. The seed were
carefully preserved, and the ten rows are now
growing finely. The two stalks above men
tioned were rather small and bushy; tho
bolls average size, but very long; it opened
well, but was a little tedious to pick. I
should judge it to be quite prolific since the
stalks were loaded with bolls. I did not
weigh the cotton, so have no idea as to yield.
I give this as an item of interest to planters.
Issaquena county fronts on the Mississippi
river and is therefore alluvial, or riparian;
subject to occasional floods, although until
the present year’s flood, one county has not
been under water since 1867. The counties
of Bolivar, Washington and Issaquena are
embraced in one levee district, under the
control of a board of Levee Commissioners,
under whose management the levees have
been a great and safe protection against the
highest waters previous to the present year,
and would doubtless have served us as faith
fully this, as other years, had the counties
above Tunica and Coahoma been well pro
tected by levees. Many of our plantations
were under water to the depth of from six
to eight feet, sometimes greater. Still the
water receded early. I planted my crop on
the 17th ultimo, (commencing) and now have
cotton well advanced. The cut-worms have
done serious damage, bat we still hope to
get a fair crop.
Cotton is the only crop,—this the rule-
occasional exceptions may be found. Why
cotton should prevail as the crop is one of
the things “ no fellow can find out.” Corn
does well, yielding from forty to sixty
bushels per acre under the careless culti
vation prevalent on cotton plantations,
where corn is neglected, never worked ex
cept when the time can be spared from cot
ton. This you may readily surmise is not
often. Corn usually receives one plowing
and is “ laid by.” If, under such miserable
cultivation, these lands produce forty
bushels per acre, what might It not yield
under proper treatment. Oats do well here,
but like corn, is seldom planted. Various
grasses flourish when proper precaution
in the preparation and seeding have been
taken. I have experimented with various
grasses, grains, eto., and have yet to find one
that does not or cannot be made to pay; still
they are neglected. One cause of this lies
in the fact that Issaquena plantations are
large, seldom less than 400 acres and fre
quently 3,000; of course it pays owners of
large estates to rent their lands to negro ten
ants, since the ruling rates are from 80 to 100
pounds lint cotton per acre, and every por
tion of the plantation pays rent—even the
sloughs, roads, etc.,—since in the surveys
made they are all embraced. It is, therefore,
more profitable to receive from $8 to $10 per
acre for rent (without any risk, except utter
failure of tenant to make enough cotton to
satisfy the rent,) than could under any cir
cumstances be made by the owner cultivat
ing the lands himself—he risks nothing and
generally makes large gains. A plantation
improved, consisting of several hundrod
acres, say, GOO in cultivation, can be bought
easily for $20,000 cash, rents yearly for$6,000
to tenants. Is the investment not a paying
one ?
Our system of cultivation may be judged
by the class of labor. Yet, without one par
ticle of manure of any kind whatsoever, and
many of these lands have been in cultivation
sixty years, we are greatly disappointed if
we fail toget 400 pounds lint cotton per acre.
Here, again, would the right kind of culti
vation bring larger rewards. Averago crops
seem satisfactory to those most interested,
and yet, average crops never pay, they make
no “ big money” for the grower. It is only
extra yield, nnd consequently, reduced cost
that gives the proper result to energetic, go-
a-beod farmers. Now, here, it makes no dif
ference in the profit of owners, if the tonant
makes Ills 100 pounds rent; so of those I do
not write, but of those tenants who are some
times white men, who ure not able to buy
lands, but must rent, at the usual rates, $10
per acre, sometimes—yes, they more fre
quently make money than lose it, even at
this rate. Yet, 800 pounds of cotton on one
acre would give double the margin for profit
that 400 does, and the cost to produce would
be less than now. Since saving of his own
“hard licks” would be an item,two acres
would be handled easier and better than
four.
This is no stock country, at least there is
none here worthy the name; a few milch
cows, that afford, perhaps, two quarts of
milk per day, the veriest scrubs. No sheep or
hogs; the latter do not flourish in negro
communities. Sambo’s fondness for fresh
pork is proverbial, for this, and this reason
alone, hogs are banished, since we do not
wish to raise pork for our tenants free of ex
pense.
This would be a grand fruit country if we
could ever feel perfectly secure against en
croachment of the Mississippi water. The
finest peaches I ever saw were grown here.
Apples, while bearing well and are hardy
and long lived, don’t seem to be as good fruit
us those grown in higher latitudes. Pears
do exceedingly well. Strawberries the finest
and largest I have ever seen are grown
here. Figs in great abundance. Plums, of
course. Wild blackberries by the acre; in
a mile of my dwelling there is at least 200
acres covered with blackberry bushes, and
the ripe fruit might now be gathered by
tons, and, yet, no one ever dreams of gather
ing them for market. If five acres of cotton
was found some where, without an owner,
every man, woman and child would be found
there gathering it.
As one of the results of all cotton, the
following local prices for farm products pre
vail, and bear in mind that each article
named grows here in paying quantities even
for market: Corn—$1.50 bushel; Oats—$1.26
bushel; Hay—$30 ton; Potatoes—$1.00 peck;
Pork—$30.00 barrel; sides. 16c. pound.
Would it not pay to raise a little?
Steele’s Bayou.
The pea crop is one of the most valuable
raised in the 8outh. Every season thousands
of bushels are ungathered because of the
difficulty in cleaning them of the hulls.
Messrs. Dicky and Pease of Racine, Wiscon
sin, advertise a mill in the columns of the
Southern World, which is said to meet the
great want. It would be prudent In farmers
to give their fanning mill a thorough trial
and increase the crop of peas in market
thereby.