Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-06-19

we assemble here. Never, again, meet
ct the fes,al board; sing the same song,
or bow ourselves Of the same altar.
Farewell 10 our slrolls and 10 the old
college bell, fair sehoolmates and class
mates, dear teachers and honored Presi-
dent With fond prayer for each and
all, farewell"
After several pieces Of music most
charmingly and exquisitely rendered by
Miss Nora Bradford and one or two
others, who were rapturoasly applauded,
the President, Dr. Collins, in . few
appropriate remarks presented the grad
yates with their diplomas--those guer-
dons Of their ambition. The beuedictiop
then was pronounced and the Annual
Literary Festival Of the State Female
College was brought TO 9 close. We
wish the young ladies long, happy and
prosperous times, and the teachers long
years Of usefulness and honor, and now
zoe say, farewell.
MECHANICS IN AoRIcULTuRE.-No bet
ter evidence of an appreciation by our
planters Of the changed condition OF
things is afforded, than the adoption by
many Of labor-saviDg machinery, where
by they are enabled to dispense, 10 q
great extent, with the large and I'M
wieldy forces heretofore required 10
work their grounds and prepare their
crops for the market. As attention is
gradually turned to the culture of
cereals and the abandonment Of cotton,
the demand for and use Of agricultural
machinery must increase, until finally
our farming people avail them
selves Of every appliance cal
culated TO accomplish the greatest
amount of work possible with the fewest
possible number of hands. The appara-
tus which does the work of q man on the
farm, and yet requires neither the food
or clothing Of the man, necessarily be-
comes good instrument With the
present disyrganized aud unreliable sys-
tenn Of labor, the change from manual
to mechanical labor, so far ss It can be
effected, applies with even greater force.
Every negro that can be dispensed with,
is just so much of an annoyance and
incumbrance overcome. In the present
scarcity of labor we see no other
method, in. short, of surmourting
the difficulty and supplying the
deficiency than by the adoption OF
labor-saving machinery. Our attention
was more especially directed to this sub
ject by planter, residing just north Of
the city, who, during the past two sea-
sons, has turned bis attention almost ex-
clusivsly to grain raising, and has in
vested in agricultural machinery what he
would otherwise have put in additional
field hands. He has upon his place what
is known as Pitts combined horse power.
ihresher and cleaner, and assures us that
the one apparatus, operated by q
single hand, threshes, separates, fans
and delivers his grain in sacks ready
for the market. altogether free from
"cheat and light grain. He has also q
recently patented reaper and mower,
which lie has suffi ciently tested to con-
vince him that it is an economy and an
indispensable acquisition. With but one
man required to drive, it cuts the grain
and rakes it off in bundles ready for
binding, and v i'll thus harvest from eight
10 twelve acres per day, whereas three
acres by hand is fully an average days
work with the present class Of laborers.
With the aid of the two machines be es-
Inmates that he is able to cultivate aud
put into market his crop with just
one-half the force he would otherwise
have required How long it will be
before others follow the example be has
set, and our planters generally avail
themselves of this means Of getting along
with fewer hands and thereby overcome
one of the greatest annoyances and draw
backs since the change in the labor sys-
tenn of the South, remains for time TO
determine. The more wide-awake and
shrewder class Of planters are already
manifesting disposition to give mechan-
ical farming fair test; and as they
gradually extend their cultivation Of
grain they will find the greater need and
utility Of machinery.
The "OLDf FoLKs AT HOME. AT a
meeting of the "Old Folks at Home"
last evening, it was agreed to have an
old time barbecue and picnic at Bart
let's Station, on the 23d of July next.
A motion was made and carried, that
Hon. E NJ Yerger be requested TO de-
liver the address of the occasion, and
Messrs. Avery, Worsham, Temple, Baugh
aud Wipu were appointed a committee
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