Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-07-13
RICHMOND. July "a
P"pe's communicated TO Tie Ag1qcn;iuui
Soc'ety Of Virginia. and pnJhsArct by the
Committee # COITespondence.

Committee # Correspondence.
No.7
GENTLEMEN-fom our letter of26 II Jan
nary last, did moi reach me ill The yea of
April, aud not ha, ing attended The NEE,
ing IN December, did mol know orthete-
solutI"n OF The Agricultural Society, M.
found II enclosed. Since thai ii.. ei Gav.
been much confined al home, and lal e
had bu, lille opportunity 10 obtain nioi-
nation from my Wigiiburs upon the sub
jet pfoppun;ie.i, and Tea my Own store
oi knoalrdge as farmer, will ahsrd hnie
or no light upon amy of iien ~ iced,
|, a. we'll as ~ :; OF my ueig!ihors. haye
uot Sei given up ile culture Of tobacco :;
aud until his is done, The progress OF
iniproteinen! IN agr,, uimre muSt be slow,
because ~ occupies so much Of our time,
as la Rave hu; little opportunliy ior rApe
raenl, aud forbids the necessary alien
ton 10 many subjects essential lo i'm
proNeneni. | will endeasor, liowe,tr,
"lihoui repeating the subjects uf enquiry
embraced III The resolutions, to aiism or them
III general way.
The general character of the soil lii ihe
senatorial district in witch r0sl,ie, is bui
ordinary. though Srcai proportion oiii j.
susceptible OF considerable improve
HI HtienDOif'OOO vi ttf
"atfr courses, which are numerous, the
oil is very kind and lmprovable. The
crops cultivated for market are ,rincIpalil
wheat and tobacco, the former IN great
est proportion. The grcaier part of the
p Oplr adhere to the Old three field sys-
TEN OF corn, wheat and pasture; but many
OF them arc beginning 10 introduce clover,
FIRST i'll their iiauured lot, aud as the adj
vaniages Of tie clover aud plaster hus
banGry, develope themselves, they eX-
tend their use. Some few are eInbarkIng
IN the DIVISION into tive fields, with tie
rotation of corn, wheat, clover, wheat,
pasture; which Is the smallest number
HAT can well be made subservleni to The
comfort OF Il family and The advantage o.
the farm. This Is the course | have in
troduced upon my river farms, taking
care by means OF a common enclosed,
containing some wood land, as we'll as
OLD tj-id, 10 admit the stock as laie and
as sparingly as possible into the clover
pasture. Tire farm OH which 1--we, not
binding Immediately on James river, aud
being poorer than The others. is divided
into six iIrl'is with the following successi-
OF OF crops VIZ corn, wheat clover, deal,
clover, pasture. As same farmers prefer
corn, wheat, clover, clover, wheat, pas
ture, will assign my reasons lor differing
with them. First, the clover Is in pcricc-
ton the second year of lis growth: Sc.
condly, the ground is i'll "A better state Of
preparation, because the third wear il is
M greater Ge re" untitled. and is more
infesItdw evdS an, grasses,
which are apt 10 imjure the crop OF wheat
materially and lastly, because by this
course, The field is allowed a year of rest
IAN, LIT. 4.
jected 10 the hooi, except fc~ particular
animals which are allowed 10 graz" or il
the year preceding The one in which IL is
devoted exclusively TO pasture. Some Of
the poorest paris OF lie field prepared for
corn are sowD in oats, To be followed by
wheat, but il is my intention 10 substitute
peas III place of the Oais, 10 be io!lOAcd
by clover alone. The eApcnce OF cuit-
waiting peas is very iIiflng. a frH ears
ago, | dragged piece OF l6 acres (pioHgb
cd the preceding wInier,) checked II pI.ii
a small plough al 8 feet each way, drop
ped the peas, and covered them with a
drag. Tnree coulter harrowings, al pro-
per periods aiierw ards, each Of vl.'cb wa /,
performed III halt a day with Six three
tooth harruws, was amply sutfi cieHl with
out The use Of d hand hoe, aud made
luXmriant crop on poor land After The
last narrowing, they took possession Of
aud IN short time cOseTei Tie ground
completely. The whole cxpeHce of cul-
tlvaiIng, after The peas were planted, did
not exceed IS per acre. know of
no hoe crop that eau be ell cultivated |
at as lille eNpeDce, aud with aS much be |
neiit 10 the soil. Observing for three |
years back, that where row was missed !
in sowing my wheat by i!ie carrlrssness !
OF the scotsman, Tie clover al lowest was |
al least four fold in size compared with !
that which Mas covered by ibc heat.
Wine at The same time Il was almost
e!!ii:sle .zsa.s;;t ;rom The danger OF being
Killed hN Tie sun, " hich often happens 10
the uihrr WlIcn the Nhedi Is taken oft |
have sownd small porlluH OF my tdsi com
iieii ~ clover alone, ana design 10 extend
IiiS practice io The pea idllOw. la The
ear 1917 Il part ct NV last sOwn wheat,
Jn iOlcfably good high land cleared abnuf
~ years belote) was entirely destroyed by
lie Hy, iusOiHucb that The clover iOUk
pos esslon oi tie land, without ailt Gov
prlDg.E The clover ld>l summer vas such
as might have Afforded u light crop OF
nay, BAT a. q Is my practice tO turn ~ all
which will not yield Il lolcraby good
,rOp, ~ MAS turned ~ aud sOwn ia Wllrat
~ October. ~ SOW promises az least 10,
perhaps 20 bushels per acre.
These facts convince me beyond doubt
hal clover, which is Injured 70 The san
rom lis infancy, Is proof against us rays
turing our hottest months, aud that lis
5rowli Is So much tncreascd b. giving
o The whole streGsih of HE land tor lis
uppOfl, INSTEAD of burlbening poor land
s.ib Ii'e task at noHrislng crop OF
slleai AT tie sane time thai ii Is rearing
feeble crop 81 clover, That use lagmerwhO
; obliged 10 cultivate such isGd, viii fi1d {
us interest q pursue tinScoursc, par
a