Southern planter : devoted to agriculture, horticulture, and the ...

THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 433
making and savin j^ of hay, a crop too much
neglected and indispensable to the rearing of
fine horses and cattle. To save our owm grass
seeds, clovx3r, timothy and orchard grass— -to
make better enclosures, permanent, &c., when
stone was convenient— to give more attention
to ditching and droning and clearing our farms
of the various pests, briars, sassafras, garlick,
&G.—to provide more comfortable fixtures, shelters,
lots, &c.,for our stock. The manure from
which, protected from the rain, would be doubly
as valuable, and half the feed consumed
would keep them in better condition.
Our sheep and hogs, also, if protected from
the snow, storms, &c., would be much healthi-
er, consume less, and their lots properly littered
would furnish valuable manure, which at present
is. lost.
To pay some attention to the culture of roots,
which have been the basis of the wonderful
revolution in English and Scotch agriculture,
with more time and larger resources, to improve
the quantity and quality of our manure
banks, the only bank the farmer should have
much to do Avith, and applying it to our hungry
hills and ridges, thus covering them with
verdure, we might profitably introduce improved
breeds of stock, which under our present
system would rapidly deteriorate and prove
anything but profitable ; and last but not least,
more attention could be given to the orchard,
to the planting and cultivation of the choicest
variety of fruits, so conducive to health and
comfort, and in addition might be made a source
of considerable profit.
There are other considerations of a higher
and nobler nature which I might urge, more
leisure could be given to the beautifying and
adorning our homes ; all of our improve-
Mr. Franklin Minor's Mode of Eaising
Hogs.
RiDGWAY, June 3rd, 1858.
Dear Bnffin:—I intended to answer Mr.
Jones' call about my hogs in time for your
June number, but was suddenly called from
home two weeks ago, and am just returned. It
matters little, however, as there is really no secret
about the hogs.
28
In Beceraber, 1857, I killed 100 hogs, which
averaged2432lbs. neat; five of them were 21, and
the others 19 months old. There was nothing
new or fiishionable in the breed.
From birth to October they were fed with the
sows, on 1| bushels of meal, half corn and half
oats, made into swill, and one bushel of shelled
corn, in a large field poorl}'- set in clover.
From October to May they ran in the woods,
du-
and made their own beds, veithout shelter ;
ring which time they were fed twice a day on
shelled corn, IJ bush, at a feed. In May they
were put into a thinly set clover field, and fed
with corn, as in the winter, until the wheat
was threshed, when they were put in the stubble
fields, and fed with one half as much corn.
Early in September we began to feed them
with green corn, stalk and ear, as much as
they would eat. When the stalk was dry, the
ears alone were fed.
They were healthy and thrifty all the time.
Once in two weeks we gave them ashes and
salt ; and occasionally, on rainy days, unleached
ashes were strown over their backs
while they were eating to prevent mange.
The pork Avas too large to be saleable ;
but I
hope you will find the bacon eatable when you
visit me in July.
Truly Yours,
Franklin Minor.
Stone Fencing.
For the Planter.
The best sized stone for a fence, is the larggest
which can conveniently be moved ; and
the best shape is slab or flat ; but in the general
all sizes and shapes must be used, as to be
had.
In building a house, the stone must be tied
in every direction ; in building a fence they
should be tied crosswise only, for it cannot fall
lengthwise.
Many fences which I see are made for beauty
instead of strength ; the consequence is,
presently down falls the fence,—and then for
patch-work, and away goes beauty. A stonemason
is not the man to put up a stone fence,
for he will be too tedious and neat, consequent-
ments have hitherto been mainly directed to
providing for our ph3^sical wants ; we have done
but little to refine our taste or feelings; our
home should be made attractive and interesting,
that our children may look back to it wherever
they may go, as the dearest spot on earth. The
early impressions received there, mould, in a
great degree, their future character and destiny.
The above views, though hurriedly and imperfectly
expressed, are the result of long
thought and deep reflection. If they but serve
to awaken an interest in the importance of the ly too costly.
subject I shall be amply compensated.
To make a stone fence strongly and expeditiously,
will require several months experi-
For the Planter.
ence.
Having determined on tfie proper site for
your fence, deposit as many stone on either
side as you think will be sufficient. If the site
is level or nearly so, no further preparation is
necessary, but stretch your line and go to work.
It is well to use two lines, one on each side, so
that there be no shifting about of the line.
Raise your line or lines some eight inches or
more from the ground, so that the foundation
stones may be placed underneath, thus making
a shoulder or jog on the exterior of the fence,