Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1828-11-15
CEN. WASHINGTON

Extract OF Il letter from the Rev Jared Spark.
to Judge Story on the nature of Gen. Washug
tons papers which Mr. Sparks proposes 10 pub
lish. f
There no station in which Wash;n,,o,
took more delight, or the duties of which lie dis
charged with more zeal aud activity, than thai
OF PRACTICAL farmer. His achievements i'm this
'waiK were prodIgious. 1t may be fairly question
ed, whether any other individual in sthe country
not excepting the most Industrious and enterpris
ing, who has been devoted to this pursuit alone
has ever accomplished so much He was com
mander OF ali army, and at the head of a nation
Tor few years only at IA time, but dav never
passed IN which his farm was out OF his mi IL.
During the whole war he was planning improve
meDts, directing them and often writing letters
OF minute instructions to his manager While
president o! the United States, il was his stand.
ing custom to write weekly, and 10 receive week
~ returns IN which he required great particulari
~ and exactness in specifying occurrences and
the employment, and progress Of the labourcrs.
nave before me volume ofprcss copies ofetters:
written IN one year. during the presidency to his
manager and orcrseers. Some Of them eXten;. "a
several pages, and they average more than one a
week. They are written in his own hand. with
It's usual fair and regular character, and bear CIV.
cry mark OF having been much studied in ex
preston and style as any o! his compositions Iii
some cases, and probably in most, thew were writ
ten and copiedseut by himself before The press inn
pressions were taken., Such WAS his habit io
OF his public ouf,s. h.rt
rs also ne!ore me curious agricultural document
dated four days before his death. 1t is mann
script pamphlet OF twcnty-luur folio pages, writ
ten III close hand, containing instructions to hi:
manager Tor the cultivation OF nee farms on the
estate at hiount Vernon the following veal Eaci
farm was divided inlo1n,s, which we're numbered
In the pamphlet, very fall instructions are givcl
how 10 cultivate every lat in the three farms dur
ing lie next year, stating the crops with remarks
on the soil. the products of former years, and tho
results of former experiments WASHINGTON died
you viii fecollect, in December and this pam
pl:let, drawn up evidently with much labour aot
reflection, was already prepared to be handed t.
the manager at the beginning Of the year, pre-
laced by a letter OF gencral directions on The i'm
portance Of method and or ethoug htin FARMING on
erations, and this, Notwithstanding he was him
sell to be on the plantation, and exercise dali,
supervision.
These instances are mentioned only as exam
pies; they indicate the habit and il is uunecessa-
ry to add more. For time he kept an arricul
tural Journal and was engaged in experiments OF
rotation OF crops. nothing down for a series oil
years the crops of each lot, with remark on the
comparative success of different rotations He was
at much pains to stock his farms will, the bes
breeds of animals, and his grounds were adorned
with rare and curious trees and shrubs collected
from various parts Of the United States, and from
loreige countries. His correspondence with ST.
John Sinclair, slr. Anderson and Arthur Young
OF agriculture, has been printed. 1t is not m,
il tenton to select much for publication under th
head, but such papers will be included, and sucl
illustrations appended as will exhibit in their du
proportions the character Of Washington on hi
farm, and his attention 10 the humber concern
Of life.