Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1825-05-17

plough hoe and the helve thus left Is the best IN
stnment for opening the furrows, especially where
the manure is deposited in the drill for, Al plough
hoe was used it would tear 1t up, and expose 1t on
the surface. BY using the belve only, sufficient
fur-ow Tor the reception of tie seed is made, and
the manure remains unmolosted. The dropping OF
the seed should follow Immediately after the open
ins the turTow, and the covering directly after
the dropping of the seed; that the earth may be
perfectly fresh and moist which is placed in con-
tact with the seed. This occasions them to come
up better and sooner.
- To prepare the seed for sowing, select place
near Nater-wet the seed, roll them with dirt or
ashes (the latter preferred, as it is very slight
manuring, and kind OF preventive 10 the depre-
d,tion> of ants,) then with haEd-hoe stir them
until each seed is detached from the rest, and per-
! ectly covered with coat OF the dirt ashes
tins locations them TO drop more regular and easy,
like any kind of grain. Some few soak their seed
previous 10 rolling them; but this practice is not
approved; it readers the seed too soft for rolling
and if dry weather succeeds the planting, they will
ve,etatc badly.
Formerly high beds preferred;
aim at planting as flat surface possible
For this purpose, throw up the two burrows
1 forming the bed with single dagon and run
shaow-then open the top Off not manured)
we can with onehorse and the plough helve. II
the soil could he placed in good order for the
cep,ion of the seed without bedding, we should
ly run the burrows, as in planting corn and then
deposit the seed; but this although practiced by
few, is not approved by Our best planters The
slight bedding, with the opening of the beds,
leaves the soil in fine order, well pulverized, free
of clJds, and gives good deep bed for the seed 10
vegetate inf the piece has not been MANFRED,
small worn out tro el hoe with a coulter, may
be used for opening the burrows, but without any
mould boards But the heve alone, if broad at the
| back, will open sufficiently wide After droppng
the seed, cover them with board attached to the
bottom OF the plough helve.
:" Various the modes OF covering with the
| feet; with wedding hoes; with log pulled along
the lurrow, by its end and with a log having
handles and shafts, which drags jhe bed, ha-
wing oiches TO pass over the seed furrows the
horse walking between the beds, and the log CO.
verins two beds at the same time. Many other
contivances have been devised, description OF
which IS deemed unnecessary-as the one | am
now aboIt TO recommend seems TO have the pre-
terence, and TO be gaining ground.-TalIe a piece
OF plank, about inches thick, . l-2 feet long,
and or 10 inches wide, flsen this TO the end of
plough helve to stand at right angles with the
boom OF the plough, raise the front edge few in
ches higher than the back edge; it viii thus catch
all the clods under it; and mash the most OF them
little light mould is drawn over the seed; the sur
iace Is lett even and smooth, and little pressed
down. " ith this instrument the cotton will come
up more regular, stand better, and keep LONGER
Tree OF grass, than in any other known mode of
covering. This board is made by some long
eaough TO cover two beds at a time-but, to
cover as fast as a horse walk, single ridge,
IS last enough Tor me:-you have idea how
smooth and handsome the land is laid
" Before proceed further it is necessary TO saw
something of manuring. We have lately seen a
communication from Brunswick in the Sc American
L anner,' on the culture of cotton, which recon-
mend the PIP cation Of the manure flushed, s. then
lei expo ed, on che surface, TO euaDoratioa This
mode, my experience tells me is entirely wrong:
ana when was school boy, the theory then taught
me was also at variance with it. then learned
that all animal and egetable substances in state of
decomposition, were volatile and Ill volatile sub
| stances would lose their strength and diminish in
quantity, If exposed to the air. Now, as all our
manures are composed OF animal and vegetable sub
stances, can 1t be proper to expose TO rapid evapo-
ra"on, this manure, on flat surface scattered thin
10 the whole action OF a summers sun /?
g have been great advocate for ,nsnurinc
flush, taking care 10 it Immediately after it is
scattered, and have pursued that plan extensively;
but time and experience have changed nv opinion
and practice. On small compact farms, particular
iy where land is DEAR labor cheap and manure pen-
ty, admit that this is the only proper mode DINA
| nurng. But with Us, where land is CHEAP and Dlen
y, labor scarce and high, and the resources for
nure very limited, and the supply nothing like equal
10 the demand, or quantity required; where the OBJ
lect shourd be 10 make the most fthat labor and
limited supply oil manure, and where our light sra-
veiiy soil does not retain permanently any i'm
provement give 1t, it is our true policy to lock
TO the crop, and not to the improvement of the soil
as desideratum. I therefore prefer applying all
my manure either for cotton or corn in the drill
My practice is to flush my land say for cotton:
then lay Oh my ridges, scatter the manure in tie
Iurrow, cover It with single dagCns open the ridge
win plough helve placed slopine TO the rear so
as not 10 drag up lie manure; then plant, and Gov
| er with The be. rd If Tor corn, flush rs early as
possible, lay OF and deposit the manure as above,
then led up two urrows each side Of the manure
with "double dagoh at planting time open the ton
OF he bed with fiuke plough, running shallow.
Without mould board, so not to disturb the ma
nurc Then plant with string, across the beds
and cover with hand hoes. The advantages of this
mode OF manuring are, that il will manure double
the land, lad produce upon this double surface the
same resiii per acre that would be produced by
flushing. None of the manure is lost or injured
b. evaPoraton INC whole remaining well covered,
and without interruption during the whole stage of
the crop The soil gets the benefit of every parti-
Gle OF the manure and is more improved by il: that
Is, ton OF manure thus applied would make great
er improvement to land than the same ton would
II flushed. The crop, per cart load OF manure, is
greatly increased; the same manure will if cotton
Is planted again on the ridge, produced bet
ter crop the second year than in that of its applica
tom thereby getting two good crops ofcotlon from
one manuring; at tie same time beneftting the land
IN the greatest possible DEGREE and last though not
least, the farmers purse is made heavier by it, than
by the flushing mode
g After planting your cotton, your next care is
to keep 1t clear of grass which you must carefully
/ do from the onset; grass is destructive poison
TO Young cotton; from which it can never recover,
] ~ H.. -. l.