The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-10-29

WooDvILLE, CHifse2ti,er County, "a.
May 18th, 1911.
Mr.. Secretary,
Conceiving myself to be called
upon, with my fellow-citizens in general to
communicate to your Society the result of
observation and experience in agriculture, /
shall attempt, though awk wardly, to max q
few remarks in reply to the seventh, six
teenth and sixty first Queries, published in
the ENQUIRER" by order cf the Rich
mond Society, for promoting Agriculture
4 hese remarks are wholly made from expe-
:iiacntal practice, and though short and un
connected, may perhaps be not entirely use
less, OF which however, vcur society Will
best judge. The seventh Query, viz. THE
best mode OF preventing land under the
plough from washing" is OF immense conse-
quence to all farmers, residing as d. In
billy broken land; and the plan which I
have invariably pursued for seven years, has
fully convinced me, that land under cultiva-
ton, may i'll great measure be prevented
from those destructive washes, which Sudden
and great rains, Common in summer, fire.
qucntiy effect In the first place, the soil
ought to be broken up very deep, which I
have done with three horses fixed to a bar
share plough; which By following round the
base of every hill, according to the situation.
may be exceedingly well done, and as the
pressure against the mould-bcard is less, SO
the draft is consequently lighter, and the
sod equally as well turned as on level
The common depth OF my ploughing has
been from sig to nine inches, consequently
that cultivated surface will contain much
greater quantity of water, befoge it begins
to run OH, than in shallow. plopghing. This
subject viii bring me to the sixteenth One
ry-" The best method of.preparing land
tor Indian Corn and cuitivacihg it. ~ During
the whole season of cultivating Indian Corr.
the land is peculiarly exposed to rains, that
frequently wash it in dreadful manner
To remedy which, hiily land should be
ploughed but one way, that is, there should
be no cross pioughing and the rows should
run horizontally on the side of hill, or as
nearly so as possible, so that none descend
enough to collect the water, which would
inevitably sweep off large portion of the
adjoining surface. BY pursuing the above
course for seven years my land has been cen
stantly improving with the addition of
Plaster of paris) which was before in a re-
guar progress Of deterioration, by repeated
washings, &c. And though my situation is
such that | Cannot conveniently establish
slch aretlt:on Of crops as / think the most
conducive to Improvement; yet see nothing
70 prevent us, with deep pioughing and pre- =
per cultivation, to make our billy lands ex-
os cuItigating indian Corn in the upper cour.-
try, which hiss fallen under INV observation,
10 very iniudcious and iUi,,tious to- the soil /:
and viii here notice the methed have
pursued during the above mentioned space C
time. When my land is we'll broken, lists
are cast up with plough seven feet apart,
on which the corn is planted without cross
ing these lists, in hills about three feet apart.
The mode Of planting is novel it is as fol-
lows ,--Each hoer is provided with small
bag 70 drop the Corn; and when n small
hale IS made in the list By the hce, the grain
is THROWN in, whjch is Immediately covered
by The hcer; and in this manner thcv pre-
coed. Though this Irctiod is apparently
SLOW on being Described, yet experience his
proved it may DC planted quicker than in the
ordinary mode; and though deep rooted
prcjudces are hard to- be overcome; vet ma
ny u my ncighbors, after a sufficient trial,
have become convinced CT the truth Of this
! assertion, and some have adopted the same
plan. never plough my corn bat twice, &
immediately after each ploughing follow,
with aharrow, which lays the surface Level
and III great rains the water will frequently
ran over the surface without washing and but
rarely it breaks even in the vallies. Many
farmers, through custom and prejudice, be