Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-12-16
COMMUNICATION.
TO THE EDITORS Of the ENQUIRER.
AGRICULTURAL Intel IGENCE

III ELLA Ono V rae EStkCldER.
AGRICULTURAL INTELLIGENCE.
Conference.-The following quotation, which
was introduced in former Communication from
Arator, To prove the correctness of Mr.. Sea-
brooks experiment On the Indian corn subject, II
II should not be deemed a useless repetition, is
again submitted for publication in the Enquirer
on account OF the importance Of the historical
fact 1t contains. with some additional remarks that
present IT in more imposing aspect
me plant which contributes in the greatest
gree to national subsistence, best deserves the
patronage Of skill and industry and vet the cult
walton OF maize remains as it was borrowed FROM
me aboriginal farmers Of America, except that,
II product IS the test of science, they must have
been allowed to have been more accomplished
husbandmen than their imitaiors As the Indians
certainly made better crops to the acre, and pre-
served the earth in better heart than we do, we
may at least hope TO accomplish degree of per-
lection, which, from their success, we know to be
a,tainaoie. however lettering may be the prospect
could be persuaded to felinquish what we have
retained OF this Indigenous system, and to draw
one from scientific principles and European expe
renee perhaps we might recover the palm in the
cultivation OF maize from those we have ouIseIy es
assigned It by special cognomination. N.
CAUSE ASSIGNED.
However strange and unaccounialle il appeared
10 Arator, the Indians made better crops 10 the
acre than we do; because we cultivate the earth
better than they did, and the greater product de.
pends on the superior tlage, it can be accounted
Tor satisfactorily, by surprising they cultivate the
particular variety, denominated rare ripe that it
wl make more than the gord seed or corn OF the
Climate which is here cultivated: and if il will
make more, and no other reason can be assigned
II Is the cause Tor this historical fact / proved il
would make more in my publication on Mr.. Sea-
orooks experiment., 10 which refer the reader
and that the Indians did cultivate this variety is
further proven. The prSSent race who have not
adopted our mode OF culiiyating Indian corn plant
Mil, h.
whilst their ancestors used a hand implement in
nusbandry, which was especially adapted 10 it's
cuiovation. / had IN cultivation the year before
last small! piece OF extremely rich bottom land;
IL was planted IN squares foot and half distant
with two, and sometimes one stalk in hill AT.
ter had cut part of the tops, invited Captain
Joseph i. Price 10 see il; when we arrived AT the
iieid' observed TO him, il was specimen OF In
dian mode oil cultivation, which accounted for the
cause, that the Indians succeeded in MAKING bet,
ter crops TO the acre than we do. He empbatjeal.
~ replied, believe il; il is heavy crop: will
you ascertain the product by measurement, and
'o."a'a tue statement to me in Richmond, and !
wiii have 1t published: The measurement was
made accordingly. and the statement forwarded,
which was published in the Enquirer. The pro-
anct was IN proportion 10 thirty barrels to the acre
l. MS communication was authenticated in its pub
ncauon ny that gentleman, Captain Piics When
planted this corn, expected, if il was not too
thick TO ear, it would make, on an average two
gil!s TO hill, which would be upw ards of twenty
seven barrels TO the acre. whilst every person who
saw IT before il was gathered, believed IL would
| make upwards of Two gils. II IS easily iinagfned
The action oil the and air, which is essential
10 the growth and perfection of all plants must
nave been Limited and deficient in corn planted
thick as the above which was proye en- bv the corn
being bette. the borders than in the mI,l,e Of
the held: therefore, small as this niece was te
crop would have been better if it had been sIoall
er, and worse if it had been larger. should b,
10th 10 hazard an expression of opinion i'm respect
If
Yards wide and one thousand in length, the reoui
site quantity 10 make an fertile and e;tuat
ed as the che above. To combine an arrangement
oil due number OF stalks, and the action OF the
sun and air in making large crop OF this variety
IN fertile land, is desderatum in its cultivation.
70 which invite the attention of the practical
farmers. That il has been considered so by gen.
uemen oil the North, who have made the largest
crops OF corn, where this variety is cultivated in
IT'S native region, can easily be ascertained by re-
ierrng TO their agricultural memoirs The Indians
planted their corn in patches detached pieces in
ich land which contributed to the increase OF pro-
u . captain Price cultivated with the plough,
the iast season, something than acre Of the
rare ripe on riyuiet OF common fertility as an
experiment; the product twelve barrels or
sixty bushels by correct measurement This land
was peculiarly situated on a large ditch, running
parallel with two hills. There were springs
which issuedf from the side: this corn was planted
ITS whole length, which rendered il iwarfsh for
some distance inwardiy towards the ditch, whist
me other, asy you approached it, was generally We
ry good. Where this land on the riyuIet was tho
I roughly drained by the ditch, and planted with
the gourd seed, M. Hancock, The oYerseer, sun.
posed 1t would make five six barrels TO the acre
The piece in which the rare ripe was planted,
was seeded III wheat the last fall; there were
gathered from it three shocks, which might make
lour or five bushels to the shock. This piece of
land made SIXTY bushels Of the rare ripe whilst il
Is supposed il would have made twenty-five or
thirty Of the gourd seed, andstwelve or fifteen of
wheat. lamented 10 Captain Price, that he had
chosen such piece Of land for his experiment.: his
reply was, he was sufficiently aware ii could not
he justly estimated, without taking into cons.lera-
ton the facts with which it was connected. 1 am
authorised TO state the circumstances which have
mentioned correct, they refer to each Of the
aforesaid gentlemen respectively. The more
genuine this variety, the thicker il be planted
on which depends its superior productivepess--
hat we must III order TO preserve It's original pu-
Iity, when it begins TO degenerate, select seed
from the point OF the most perfect ears, TO plant
the succeeding crop.
'BURBIDGE ANDERSON.
Caroline, 1923.
MARR1EDl--on the 4th Nov. AZ Greenland.
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