Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1827-05-11

mission into general Every Inventor of new
machine. implement of husbandv, knows how
many stubborn preiuiices he has To eucounter-one
man laughs at him. another cnvcs him and another
cinss with blind obstiuacy to his early inbibcd opn
ions, and shuts his eyes and So it is
with every irnprov ement in hisbandry, of what
ture or kind soeyer II may be- No people possessing
this temper can improve in any art science. But
waywaId and capricious love of change restless
and wild spirit of innovation in Agriculture are as
injurious their opposes. a middle course is best.
This the age Of improvement, aud il is folly think
that Agriculture alone will remain stationary or be-.
come retrograde
The practice of employ ing young and ignorant men
as occrScers and giving them part of the crop in lieu
of wages, is another great impediment TO agricu-
ture in this The interest of the oUersecr is
never the same W it'll that of the employer. He never
u.s. as much as the owner interested in the permanent
Improvement of the land If he is standing ,cages,
ms character as a manager requires him to make
large crops during the year years of his service
u he receives part of the crop, he has still greater
inducement for wishing to make large crops and that
without proper regard to the improvements or impoy,
erishmen, of the land. He is here TODAY and gone
Tomorrow and cares not how hardly land is used
That arrangement is best which most nearly ideni-
cs is and his employers interest," and prompts him
to use means of enrchiDg the SOIL as well as making
present profit
Poor young men, who anxious to get into some
business will be satisfied with low wares and on that
account are preerred-and besides this the eUployer
thinks hnselfa good farmer, and would choose rahe
to teach his overseer than have who might think
himself qualified TO teach HIM. No crops which the
farmer gather, vii! compensate him for the inu
~ done by overseers OF this characteristic plants ton
IS deranged-his lands destroyed by niudcious cuya-
tion ANA his slaves abused and ruined. II hardly ever
happens that an overseer, who is satisfied with low
wages, is any thing but nuisance TO his employer,
and requires more watching than the slaves. Ii is
wise and prudent in the farmer to give liberal wages
get men OF character and intelligence repose conf
dence in them SO that they may feel their own import.
ance IN their stations and provide, as that the views
and Interests ofat shall as nearly as posi-
Die, be The same with his Large land and slave
holders are compelled TO employ overseers mana.
gers Almost every thing depends on the udicious
selection OF then giving them proper influence and
authority, and making them the real friends of the
employer These things not we'll ordered in Vir-
ginia--and therefore agriculture suffers.
The almost total neglect of our bes, lands allude
TO those which require clearing and Training is anot-
or i'ndrance to agriculture. In the eastern part of
The StHte or rather from The head of Underwater to
lhe sea coast This objection may be urged with great
force, against the system of farming. The highlands
are generally poort.ey have been long cleared and
under cuitIvatIon-are easily worked and therefore
are worried and worn out The sunken lands and
marshes are undoubtedly the most valuable. When
ever the farmer has had enterprise and industry enough
TO clear and drain them he has been well rewarded
Tor ms toll and expense Below tde-water there are
tens of thousands of acres orerowed at high tide but
bare at low tide This land is rich as earth can be
made Men of perence, after careful examinations
have decided, that il practicable, at moderate ex-
pence 10 reciaim most of these marshes and make them
ibis must be done, by draining owt Ike rivers. The
experiment has been made in other States. with great
success Ii has been made with equal in this
State, on the GIatapony, a branch of York River
There are some lands in Elizabeth City and Yorl,
Counties lying Back-River and the Charles or
Pocosn, which deserve particular notice. Many per.
SONS residing beyond the Blue Ridge aud between the
Blue Ridge and tide water, will hear with incretultv
that the best lands IN the State in these Counties
The Back River iana is called, lies in Elizabeth
City and extends nearly TO the town of H1rsDha.
1t Is rich enough to produce, the highest perecIon
any thing which the climate will suit. Ii is level and
unless we'll drained liable to be covered with water
ia the winter and spring. If well drained and proper
ly Cultivated. it is valuable land any in this coun
try. Land in Bouetourt County has sold as high as
fifty dollars per acre, and how much higher know
not. II in any state of things it could be worth as
much there, 1t difficult estimate the real value of
land on Back River 1t has every thing to recommend
it, and ought TO rank higher il.an any other land in
The state IL IS nexhaustbly fertile; ii affords in great
abundance the means Of living cheap and in COM
fort and IS near, or very convenient, 10 tue best
markets.
The Pocosin land is lighter and of course more
easily cultivated, than That on Back river and geDer
ally esteemed not rich. They both require pro
per draining. That and Judicious cultivation, ill
make them the garden spot of Virginia.
Neglect OF draining is chargeable on all parts of
The states but especially those particularly mention
cd If the Hat lands, susceptible of draining and the
marshes which be reclaimed at moderate ex-
pence OF money, time and labour were prepared for
anu teahCeu III cuit"alon' Tue increase IN Tie
agricultural productions OF the State, and 10 the value
OF these lands improved would be truly as ouisiliDr
ShafloIo poWghing is another Of injury agr-
culture. Ii mporerishes land. Experience has clearly
proved that the soil may be deepened by deep plough
ing and that shallow pIoughog exhausts the surface
Deep ploughng, bedding, The four shift and non-gaz-
ing system, will Undue time improve WORKOUT lands
The testimony ofthousands ofrcspecabIe farmers might
be adduced 10 prove, that light sandy lands wi,ha shall
low soil, have been enriched by deep pioughinr If
experiments such lands have succeeded surely sue
cess may be confidently expected those of an oppo
site character Nothing is necessary, but to follow
strictly the advise OF 'Arraor"tha is to say plough
as deep as the soil will permit, bed high, lay off the
plantation into four shifts, and do destroy the land
by grazing. AN OBSERVER.
From he Ne,U York american of .Hoilday.
POSTSCRIPT.
Since previous remarks on the foreign news we
have received exclusively, from commercial friend !
the Paris Eoile of the 18th April which furnishes the