Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1822-09-14

'tice which, unfortunately, has become but too
common among the agricu!,uris's of our
country; viz: oUsr farming. The subject
which has employed the pen Of AoR,coLA, is
certainly one of vital importance to the int.
rest OF Farmers, and merits their serious con.
siders,ion. The practice which he deprecatcs
is, We regret to say, but too common in Our
own county; and It's pernicious effects too
pslpable 10 escape the observation of the
most superficial observer. If persisted in,
poverty aud ultimate ruin cannot but tc the
consequence 1t would be well for farm.
ers to reflect seriously upon this ruinous
system 'ere it be too late.
From tie Harrison5urg RegisierI
D tortundfOS aimiuRa, Sua So bona norint
5gric0las.
Mn EDITOR
H. my last number, | apimadverted pretty
Freely On some methods of farming, prevalent
ia this country and was particularly anxious
10 effect the persuasion of the farmers, that
the cultivation of much land, in proportion
to the hands employed, is one of the great
est errors, and leads To some oi the most
it occasions great waste of timber in man.
tanning 81 much fencing great and unne.
ccssary expenditure OF ie6our in both man s.
beast and that il is entirely imprsctCable,
under this system, 10 have ii so we'll done, as
either To secure profitable result OF labour,
Or to avoid regular and progressive dete-
Fioraton of fertility Of the soil
But there are sill other evils, resulting
from this method, scarcely less lamentablt;
S,,ch fha cnrt,p II IN,
which one class OF labour has upon another
throughout the year This set of farmers al
ways have the business of one season in.
croschlng upon another. They ARE always
hurried, neither having he control of time
nor labour And the inevitable consequence
~, that their work ie generally done out Of
season is done but stability, and with an al.
most certain prospect OF AN indifferent crop.
Z know men, on the contrary, and wish
1T were peFnttcd me to name them, who
never attempt TO cultivate more land, than
they can do we'll, aud in good season who
seldom fail having crops, amply rewardrg
thelr labours These men never driven
by their work; but have it entirely at their
control, and have not therefore occasion to
push themselves or horses to accomplish
their plans within their proper season.
These farmers are thrifty aud their farms
continually improving. But the suhjsc,
will probaiy be touched again, when cotne
to speak the methods Of improving land.
Upon the whole there cannot be greater
mistake IN farming shan to suppose it neces-
sary 10 cultivate ample farms III order T.,
produce large crops OF grain for IT will be
every how better & less laborious TO make,
say 80 acres of lend produce cer,sin num-
Der OF bushels than 90. But how can farmer,
who might cultivate, some hozv ether 60
acres occupy hmseli IN the cultivation OF
mi Snf Moi
sufficiently busy. For whoever would make
So acres produce as much as 90. will find 1t
necessary 20 do every thing IN good time.
and in the best manner. He must manure
well, plough well, fence well. He must in
short, leave nothing undone that industry,
carefuiness, and good arrangement Can accom-
pilsh. And IL seems to me infinitely pretera-
BILE. on every account, 10 grow 1900 Shocks OF
wheat on 81 acres than o. 81, to pass over all
the other advantages & disadvantages hereto
lore noticed. What eau be more chcerless md
disheartening tc the farmer, than 20 see bis
helds covered with unpropitIous & scsn-
ty crops, and his barns but half hiieal
But on the contrary, nothing is more
delightful and charming, Than to see his fields
clothed with luxurIant crops, rolling, as II
were, their golden undulstIuns beneath
brilliant summer sky Indeed of all Inc
beauteous scenes, presented by nature in the
n .
ing & lovely, as gently soping highlands,
crowned with golden Ceres, thrown into soft
undulatiOns, by Favonian breezes. No, 10
me more delightful is the blue misty top of
the distant; mountain /; nor those immense
Electric clouds, which sometimes repuse a.
long the Eastern horizon, gi!ded BY the set
ting sun. And indeed. when a heavy crop OF
wheat 0r rye is cut with the SICKLE, as II
ought always to be, 30 much stubble is left
on the ground as TO prove not only fine
shade for the residue of the season, but
source of considerable fertility to the soil.
But there is this further advantage in cul
tivRtIng farm of moderate size over that
Of large ore, that a sufficiency of manure
can be produced to enrich tie one, while the
other Wust necessarily grow WORSE with all
the manuriug which can be dooe from the
barn yard, even with the assistance Of plaster;
far | propose 10 show hereafter, tina Plaster
has nourishnent, IN itself, plants. & that
the use of it, in farming, IS calculated, Wlths
OUT proper & simultaneous measures 10 re
plenish the soil, to exhaus', and eventually
ruin it. Thi, experience has taught but
fhe true philosophy of It, seems 10 Inc never
10 have been given.
But the disadvantages Of oyersfarming will
be sill more obvious, when we remark, end
We firmly believe with truth, that good and
sufficient Ploughing is utterly mPrachcablc
on this plan. I am not acquainted, bea
iieye, with a single fsrmer, who purs9es shis
method 8 has really good ploughing done.
AID ] venture 20 affirm, with confidence,
that no system of fsrmias however excellent
m its arrangements, and sessonsble iR its exc
ecaglons, without including good Ploughing,
can he greatly successful.
TO maintain this position will embrace,
what we shaIt have In say in our next number.