Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-10-27

efforts, to improve the agriculture ofour country
am with great respect aud regard,
Dear sir, your humble servant,
Secr'y -lg. Society JYa.}
ROTATION OF CROPS.
Of al! agricultural subjects, this perhaps is
The most important, and to a Virginian, the
most difhcult Experience affords us bu, little
gina, here totore, has been to cultivate our
lands more with view to immediate profit.
than with any regard TO the future All the vari.
ons soils in the country eastward of the noun
taihS, nave 6eeh used in the same way, and the
same crops have been cultivated nv all with
out regard TO the fitness OF the soil. or To the
situation OF the farm. Every thing that could
be drawn from il has been eagerly taken.
without giving amy thing in return, by amelio-
rating crops, manure, or even rest, The lands
have either horne, i'm succession. exbnu,t;ny
crops, or II has been as much or more Injured
called.
In liking on rotation, "A farmer shoulJ as.
certain what crops are best suited to his farm
anu IN what succession such crops ought TO
ionoW eaeh other. so as TO make the greatest
possible ptoht, consistentlynot only with Keen
lhg mrs IAN" IN good heart, but in ai improving
conuiuou. Judicious rotation OF crops n
the ground work of general Improvement. If
junic,ouS system he adopted and pcrseyered
in, II cannot fail. Nomode of execution can
maze mp tor defective one. The same CT ops
and injurious to the land, under another rota-
ton, with Intervening amelioratinr crops.
might NOT only be profitable, but might pro-
mote its fertility" What l shall suggest to the
society upon 'h's subject, will be the result of
my own experience and observation, assisted
by all that have been able to derive from The
i'hsnsh and Scotch understanding the n e.
cessary allowance for difference Of climate.
SOIL ana products. l have, without scruple.
awaited myself OF their suggestions whenever
they appeared rational, aud mere particularly
when they were founded upon facts properly
vouched for. lnspeaking of the agriculture
OF Great Britain, L cannot deny myself the
satisfaction OF eXpressin. nv warIuest admira
non OF Inc exalted merit and patriotism of the
distinguished men of that country who have
Dy devoting their talents, time and money TO
agricultural pursuits, brought that most useful
art'o perfection unknown to their ancestors,
or 10 Tue people OF any other country. The
Duke of Bedford, MIR. Young. Lord Kames
Mr.. Anderson, Sir John Sinclair, Mr.. Coke
Lord Sommerville, and others, NAV have less
| spiendor attached to their characters, but I
fully employed than Mr.. Pitt, Lord Castlereaph.
The Duke of Wellington, or Lord Nelson. 1
trust the people of Virginia will not be less
attentive 10 the Improvement of country so
deservediy dear to them
/ will consider frs, the priucinIes on which
rotations ought to he arranged next the various
sorts of rotations which have been adopted in
virginia, for different periods OF two, three.
Ionr, nve. SIX, orseven years and lastly, any
miscellaneous particulars connected with This
branch OF enquiry.
1t is not believed that the same land. with.
out some interval, will continue to WELD the
same pant TO advantage; there may be some
exceptions, but they can only occur where iI,.
land is the richest alluyiom soil, or is frequent
| ly and heavily MANFRED. farmer should
| therefore avoid frequent repetitions of the
| same articles III his rotation. The propriety OF
| adopting ANY particular rotation must denen md
fire climate he. ,i,.
attempt TO make g0urd-seed corn aud sweet
potatoes III GIeepbrier /; light SANDY land
shonldlneyer be selected for grass, nor cold we
sun iand Tor corn; on the situation of the farm
| III regard To markets; for some articles will
| pay we'll III some situations that wouid he mn
| saieabie ia others and apon the condition o,
| The soil, whether fertile or exhausted a far.
| mer cannot carry on his business unless he has
| varions Kinds OF crops upon his farm IL he
| had nothing but wheat aud tobacco. he nIigh,
| not be able to procure corn and hay. Il, hay.
! ing varioas articles he does not run so ,nueh
| risk, either IN regard 10 The season or the
saleoi his produce; and ifhe fails in one arti
| cie,he iuay succeed IN another. The crop.
| should be 50 arranged that the labor of pIouvh
| ins tor each, otsownE, wedding, sc shall pro
| ceed IA regular succession, and the labor %,
| business OF The farm should not be too muci
| crowded al any one season OF the wear b,t
that tile crops produced on the farm sbould he
| cultivated by the same hands ,eNcept i'm har
| vest) aud the same teams. Avoid as much a,
| possible having two grain crops 10 succession
| but alternately to have grain and grass crops
| In TINS c0nntry,a deviation from this rule mnst
be admitted, so that small grain of some KIND
| must succeed corn; this is unavoidable but
must not recnr too frequently. 10 raise those
crops most likely to be productive of manure
the use OF which cannot be dispensed with
under any rotation that can be devised III
| arrange the crops so as TO keep the land in
| good condition aud increasing in feItiiitv..
| Variations in the rotation will be found neces
| sary and e&pedient as the condition of the farm
| may alter. Keeping these maxims in view. the
| various systems that have been practlsed N
| Virginia, shall now he considered.
TIRE yedTS rotation.
| When wheat was first made crop for mar.
| ket in that part of the State that had been pre-
| vlously devoted to the culture of tobacco, the
| rotation was corn and wheat alternately. 4,
! WAS tnnnd IiaI IiIis ,ras IL. ~