The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-06-17
THE SOUTHERN PLANrER-HAR-

THE SOUTHERN PLANTEk-HAh-
VEST, &c.
Nj. Bernard sent N ID the june No. ofthe
Planter Two days ago. We are happy 10 rec
that il gives no indication Of tagging its ca
rser Of usefulness, unlike many Journals which
start OF like quarter nags, and break down be-
fore they are well clear Of the starting post.--
Mr.. Rufin. however, begins to complain, al
ready, Of the falling off among those contribu-
tors who thus far have offered him 20 much
yaiuable information. This Inconvenience,
we are disposed to think, viii be Of . charac-
ter merely temporary, and We have no doubt il
will be well supplied in the interim. BY the
editors own industry. There are thousands
Of things connected with farming and planting,
which be has not yet touched npon, with re-
gard to which no man has better right to "lay
down the law" Everything connected with
the farm-from pitching q crop Of wheat or to-
bacco, 10 setting turkey hen, or curing chick
ems Of the gapes-is interesting to the farmer
Its astonishing, indeed, to notice the avidi'y
with which gentlemen Of that class seize upon
everything connected with their avocat'on'
even when they find il in political newspapers
lying like q grain of wheat amidst an immense
mass Of chaff and straw. The subject is mex
haustible, both as to materials and interest, pro-
yided only the editor exercise moderate share
Of industry. In the meantime, we hope the
experienced farmers Of Virginia will continue
to afford the information which all so earnest
ly desire 10 see. We could mention dozen
or SO of them, who if they would put their
heads together, could furnish Virginia "Book
of the Farm" exceeding in usefulness all the
treatises that have ever issued from the press.
Among them we would name Edmund Rufin,
of Hanover, Hill Carter, of Charles City. Rich.
ard Sampson and Tarlton Fleming, of Gooch-
land, William Garth and Thos. ]. Randolph,
Of Albemarle, William Old, of Powhatan. and
the editor eff the Planter himself. We mention
these, because they happen to occur to US at
the moment. There are, doubtless, others of
repute nearly as good in the farming line
We should like to see such book as the uni
ted experience Of these men could furnish it
would be worthy of Virginia. Ifthey could
not tell all about farming in Eastern Virginia,
then it is useless for any man to attemptit.
By the way, may we be allowed to ask
why slumbers Edmund Rufin? One Of the
best writers, as we'll as one Of the best farmers
of Virginia, he has, in times gone by, afforded
more useful and agreeable information to the
farmer, than any other man of his day. Can
not his namesake induce him to enter the lists
once more
We regret to learn from the Planter that the
joint-worm has almost destroyed the crops of
wheat in Aibemarle and Nelson. From other
sources we gather that it has been fully as
destructive in Orange and some of the neigh
boring counties. MIR. Rufin is endeavoring to
find out remedy for the mischief, and with
that view has sent specimens Of the insect to :
DR.. Harris, Of Cambridge, one Of the most dis
tinguished naturalists in the Union. We hope
he may be successful.
We repubiish, to-day, the leading editorial of
fhe Planter, upon the sub ect OF Harvest. That
word calls up the most agreeable "reminiscences
of our childhood. We are transported back, as
it were by magic, TO Our ninth or tenth year,
wien VIC iuio6HHcu tHot 6ACoa wheat Sustcs
was the greatest and happiest ofhuman be-
ings-when we felt the deepest sympathy with
the pride Of uncle Sam, or uncle Ben, or uncle
Dick, in his size, as the Virginia negro always
calls bis scythe-when we thought there was
no music on earth like that made by dozen
stout negro reapers, and as many pickers-
up, uAiting their voices in the wild chorus
OF one OF those songs which they sing only
1t the corn-pile, or IN the harvest field. We
were born in the country, and spent the years
of early childhood in deep solitude. We know
not what effect the past may have had upon
the turn Of our mind in subsequent life, but to
this day we can conceive ofno happiness with
which the country is not connected Especial
~ does the recurrence Of this season call up
thousand touching NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
brances which like the Emusic of Cavil' con-
time through life to be "sweet and mournful
to the SOUL" 1t is, probably, from the lurk-
ing influence of feelings like these, that we
regard the inventions of Hussey and McCor-
mick, with feeling very nigh akin TO horror.
They will break up the old half.sport, half
labor Of cutting wheat with the "size"-thev
"a
win break the heart ofmany stout old reap.
er, who has been accustomed to centre all his
pride upon his cradle-ihey will make harvest
dull, everyday season, instead of time for
mirth and nerriment.
The harvest is not only the happiest season
to the laborers. but il is also that of greatest
enjoyment to the country bred boy. 1t is the
time when bis holiday, always earlier than
that Of the town, generally commences-
it i the time when partridge eggs are to be
gathered for the mere trouble Of STOPPING down
1T i the time when the native plum tree OF.
Ears its delicious burthen in full maturity, to his
cnterpFise-it Is the best season for bathing
butabove all il Is the time when mis- ears are
reEaied with what 10 generally to him the most
dsIightfaI of sounds--the cheerful voices ofthe
nesrOes, cutting their vii on each other, or
joining u song, or ringing with laughter, the
stirring aoses ofthe banjo, strung TO some air