Oats, Barley, Rye, Peas, Beans.-Oats, barley, and peas will yield nearly the same; rye less than either. Beans are never cultivated as a field-crop with us. Barley requires rich land to succeed in our climate. As a renovating crop, the pea is esteemed. Oats are regarded as doubtful, if not injurious.

Clover and Grasses.-These are blank subjects with us. There is some hay made from the native grasses in the fields after the staple cropis made, which comprises all to be said on this head.

Dairy Husbandry.-Blank again.

Neat Cattle.-We have none but native stocks; and the cost of rearing amounts to the labor of marking and branding the calf. If it lives, well; if not, well. On the frontiers, where the range is good, this is a most lucrative business, and a capital in stock-cattle will pay 25 per cent.

Horses and Mules.-The raising of colts is not regarded as profitable, owing to losses from staggers. Mules are, I think, as profitable as cotton-growing, the cost at three years old not exceeding $25. The mares will pay their expenses by ploughing the crop season, and giving them the fall to bring their colts. I break all my colts and mules to the wagon, working them enough to make them manageable else where, and work lightly for the first year.

Sheep and Wool.-The growing of wool could not be otherwise than profitable, requiring no feed for the sheep, winter or summer, and only to be protected from dogs, wolves, &c.

Hogs.-There are various opinions as to the best breeds, these opinions depending on the way stock is raised. For the range or shift-foryourself system, the long-nosed Pike stands A No. 1. For a system of partial feeding, the Corbet, grass, and a cross with the China hog, is preferred.

Cotton. The average yield per acre, for all lands and years, I would not put higher than 800 pounds. The cost of production, ready in market, I think not less than say 4 cents per pound. I know no preventive for rust, army, and boll-worm; and I think the only remedy is planting less deep, and thorough tilth, and ample manuring. I have no experience in subsoiling for cotton, but have every confidence in it. Cotton seed is beginning to be much appreciated as a manure for all crops-like the negro's 'possum, good for everything. Cotton lands can only be improved by rest and manure.

Sugar-cane is with us only a patch crop for home use, and does not succeed well, from the rattoon, more than one year.

Rice is grown successfully upon all lands in our climate, particularly fresh. Product, from 30 to 60 bushels rough rice per acre. Tobacco.-None grown, except for home use. The Spanish or Cuba tobacco is profitable when carefully handled.

Hemp.-None grown.

Root Crops.-Only grown as family comforts.

Potatoes are grown (the sweet) by every one. Negro-killer, or Alabama, and Hayti, the most productive. The best system of planting, is deep and thorough tilth, the lands drawn into beds, and the least work possible to keep the grass under afterwards.

Fruit Culture.-Almost wholly neglected. The orange is now receiv ing some attention. Some grapes, for table use. Almost all kinds of fruit would, no doubt, succeed, with proper attention.

Manures. Owing to the freshness and natural fertility of our soils, with the mildness of the climate, and the great ease with which the comforts of life are obtained, we have hitherto almost entirely neglected manuring, except with cotton seed.

Respectfully,

RICHARD J. MAYS.

Hon. THOMAS EWBANK,

Commissioner of Patents.

MANITOU RIVER, TAMPA BAY, SOUTH FLORIDA,
December 18, 1851.

SIR: I have received your "Agricultural Circular," and, as requested, will answer some of the questions asked, giving such information as I possess; and being a sugar planter, I shall confine myself chiefly to a description of that staple-its history and culture in this State. The cane cultivated in this State has been brought originally from Georgia, having extended gradually south, from the Carolinas, keeping pace with the advancing civilization, and becoming more developed, as it approached the tropics. With us it is more perfect than in any other territory of the Union, annually arriving at maturity, tasselling, and bearing seeds: these seeds are exceedingly minute, and it is generally supposed that they are inadequate to the reproduction of the cane. I think, that in consequence of the annual maturity of our cane, its vitality is progressive, furnishing a perfect and healthy plant; such is not the case in Louisiana. Their imperfect plants, propagated year after year from the refuse of their unripe cane, may reasonably be expected to lose their force and decay. The culture of the sugar cane, on the large scale, is comparatively of recent date in Florida; our experience and knowledge of its culture are consequently imperfect. In South Florida, we find that our canes will rattoon well for five years; but I believe that the conviction is general, that we should not rattoon longer than three years; which, with the first or plant crop, makes a term of four years between each planting. The establishment of sugar plantations in South Florida is so recent, that no planter has succeeded in getting in a full crop. Consequently, no well digested system of rotation has been adopted. The system which I am adopting is, to divide my plantation into five equal portions, four-fifths of which will be planted in cane-the fifth to lie fallow. During the seasons of leisure, this portion will be prepared in the best possible manner for planting in the ensuing spring. My lands are based on marl, having a rich subsoil, but a light silicious surface soil. The fallow land will be ploughed very deep, with four-horse ploughs, throwing it up into lands of seven feet, with deep water-furrows; into these furrows all the trash of the land, and the rotted begassa of a preceding crop, together with any other manure which may have been prepared, will be collected. The land will be again ploughed with fourhorse ploughs, bedding on the deposited manure; when this fifth is planted in cane, the oldest of the remaining sections will be ploughed out, and subjected to the same operation. By this system, our plantations will yield from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds of sugar to the acre. Nothing is

more injurious to a rattoon crop than the method often pursued of burning off the refuse trash, &c., unless it be the introduction of cattle.

Very few planters return their begassa to the land on which it grew. In Louisiana vast chimneys are constructed, at great expense, for the purpose of burning it; when this is not done, it is generally hauled to the river, and dumped in. These planters do not reflect that they are removing from their lands those essential salts, without which it is impossible to produce a good cane, and of which there is only a limited. quantity in any soil. The begassa from every acre of tolerably good

cane contains, of

In every good cane, this amount is doubled. Those who pursue this insane mode, may probably find in it a sufficient cause for the loss of that vital force of which they complain. I think, that on a fully developed plantation the cost of production of sugar, in South Florida, will be from 1 to 1 cent per pound, dependent upon the variation of

seasons.

Rice can be grown very profitably, on the small scale, on our high lands in all parts of the State; 60 and 70 bushels being not unfrequently gathered from acres carefully prepared. The yellow or golden rice is, I believe, best adapted to either wet or dry culture. My own experience is limited to the culture of high-land rice on my new grounds, as a preparatory crop to cane. This, on the large scale, is not profitable. There are large bodies of land along our Gulf coast, admirably adapted to the cultivation of this staple. It occurs to me that the area of rice culture could be very much extended by the introduction of the wheel commonly used for drainage, reversing its operation, and throwing the water on the lands too much elevated to use the natural flow of the stream. Some of the machines are in operation in Louisiana, which throw several millions of gallons per hour. Many old fields, abandoned in consequence of the difficulty of procuring a proper head of water, might thus be reclaimed.

The fruit culture of my immediate district is confined to the production of oranges, lemons, limes, guavas, bananas, pine-apples, cocoanuts, &c., &c. Of these our plantations are small, and young; but they have given ample earnest of profitable results. On the hummock lands we can realize from 300 to 400 barrels of oranges, lemons, and olives to the acre. Our pine lands will, with proper attention, give 200 barrels per acre. I have a few olives, from which I expect fruit next year. I have many varieties of wild grapes; some of them very superior, hanging in large and heavy clusters, both purple and white, resembling in appearance some of our finest cultivated grapes.

The Bermuda arrow-root flourishes throughout South Florida, producing even on the pine lands from 200 to 300 bushels to the acre; the quantity being largely increased when planted on rich lands. The yield of merchantable arrow-root flour, obtained by very imperfect mills, is from 6 to 8 pounds to the bushel; worth from 25 to 30 cents per pound. Along our Atlantic coast, south of 27°, the cumpti or Indian arrow-root grows spontaneously, giving results nearly equal to that of Bermuda, with the advantage that it requires no cultivation-the sole labor consisting in bringing it from the forest lands, and conveying it to the mill; the simple stirring occasioned by the digging being sufficient to secure a better crop than the one just removed. The Sisal hemp grows readily and luxuriantly, even upon our thin pine lands, and will eventually become a valuable staple; but, in the multitude of others, it is at present overlooked. So, also, the palma christi, which becomes a tree, and is perennial.

Our country is well adapted to the raising of horses and mules; our climate affording perennial pastures, and rendering unnecessary expensive provision of forage and stabling; as many of these animals as might be required for the use of the country could be raised to the age of three years without requiring the expenditure of as many dollars. The healthfulness of these animals, in our section of the country, is notorious. Colts should be broken before they are weaned. Being early accustomed to the bridle and gear, the transition from freedom to labor is imperceptible. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. THOMAS EWBANK,

Commissioner U. S. Patent Office.

ROBERT GAMBLE, Jr.

ALABAMA.

BOLIVAR, JACKSON COUNTY, ALA.,

October 29, 1851.

SIR: Your "Agricultural Circular," United States Patent Office, of August, 1851, has been by me duly received; and I now readily proceed to give you such information and suggestions as I have on hand.

Corn. This crop is grown in this part of the State in great abundance generally. The drought has injured the last two crops considerably, both in quantity and quality. Neither guano nor any kind of manure is used here, to any extent, in the production of this crop. However, the time has come when our farmers that cultivate up or barren lands will have to resort to this process, or emigrate, as has heretofore been the practice. The application of fertilizers even now pays well. The average product per acre is from 35 to 37 bushels, at a cost of about 25 cents per bushel.

The best system of culture is not generally practised here, our lands being rich, and the product of little value over home consumption. Now we have the dawn of better times, a market being opened for our surplus. I will state an experiment I made this season in the cultivation, or rather in planting, of this (to us) indispensable crop.

After breaking up my river-bottom land in the spring, and laying it off as usual in rows of four feet, fearing another dry summer I ran another extra furrow in the bottom of the first with a cary, and followed with what we call a bull-tongue, all as deep as we could, then crossed back the same way; and with that small addition of two deep furrows I have no doubt but that I made at least 10 bushels more corn per acre, and with less rain than I ever saw a crop made with. In feeding this crop to stock we have not experimented very much, and use but little economy; yet I have no doubt but grinding or crushing, and cooking, would pay well. To the last inquiry under this head, (corn,) I do not believe that the trouble of gathering the manure from a hog-lot, or pen, would pay in any country, if fed only on shelled corn.

Wheat.-Guano is not used. The average product per acre is about 15 bushels; the time of seeding, October and November; of harvesting, June and July.

No particular system of putting in is followed here. The better the ground is prepared, the greater the yield; and the farmer gets well paid for all his trouble in ploughing and pulverizing for this crop. It is generally on the increase in this county; and ere long we shall produce enough for home consumption. At present we only lack mills of good quality. We can grow the grain at 50 cents per bushel, or less. Corn, cotton, or oats, grow well after wheat; but corn is generally preferred in this section. Manures are beginning to be used here in the growth of this grain, and all pay well.

Oats. This is a valuable crop in this section of the country. I know of no crop that is more reliable than oats, and they pay more for labor done, or capital invested, than any crop here. There is but little choice in the different seeds used; all do well. Average yield per acre about 40 bushels; quantity of seed 2 bushels per acre. This crop does not exhaust the land, nor much renovate it if cut and carried off the land; but if pastured by hogs (which is a good plan) then the land is improved.

Barley. This grain is not grown here; nor rye, in any great quantities. Rye does not exhaust the land even if cut, for a great quantity of straw is left with the stubble. It affords a good winter and spring pasture for young colts, mules, calves, and sheep.

Good crops of peas and beans are grown here in and among corn, as this is the only way we cultivate them. They are a valuable crop-peas especially.

One of my neighbors, Wm. S. Allen, has made an experiment this season on the pea crop. He planted 10 or 12 in or by every hill of corn on 60 or 70 acres of land, and can now gather more bushels of peas than corn. They have not injured his corn one bushel, nor hindered the cultivation of it in any way; will now renovate and improve his land, and fatten his hogs. What he gathers are worth 75 cents per bushel. Every farmer who raises corn ought to plant peas.

Beans are lately grown here for market. I planted this season 15 acres with corn; but the drought cut them short, and we shall make only about one-fourth of a crop. We plant a little bean, perfectly white and round, called here the soup or rice bean. They are a reliable crop; not hard as peas to harvest, for we pull off vine and all, haul in, thrash them, and feed the pods and vines to cattle. Price this year 75 cents