Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1831-01-15
10 tae Editors a. tie U'his

10 e'e GG'tof' y Ne nag
Messrs Editors-Rcadng the Wing of tho auh
NJ December 10y attention directed, by IN edto.
rial remark, to some observations over the signature
OF Peter Stonor, tho proprcty of some legal pro-
vision To proven, stool, from running al large IL ia
a subject that had often thought of, but never very
seriously, and having seen much evil grow out of too
much legislation had concluded that it best for
agriculture In require noihing of the Lc.slaure but
to let II alone. Peter set me To thinking. and on
deuvourcd to calculate the ciiec; of such law on
myself and neighbours Perhaps the best mode by
which n plain can estimate the nocv of nnv
general ayy:-Sonc of my neighbours are wealthy
and have large farms, some poor ard Ia We small
ones on some OF them, there is plenty of rail TIM
Der. Oh Others, there IS scarcity. IL occurred 10
nc, Oh The first view, that my neighbour who wanted
timber and who's, farms badly inclosod must
be gamer BY such Il law. as lie would be relieved
from the dopredations of oil the stock, Ill the neigh
bourhond to which he ID now exposed. But what 10
10 become of his stock, was query, that at first
startled the? 70 do without he cannot. and to prevent
ts running large, he must have fences and enclo-
surcs. Where is the difference between inclosinp
his farm and permitting his stock 10 at large. or
nc!osng meadows and pastures for his stock and cav-
ing his IN rm OPEN 1t required but little arithmetic 10
settle this question. Twenty acres Of land inclosed
aud prepared will support tho stool, that should b.,
kept on n farm of ono hundred acres q mean ono
hu 'drcd acres Of arabic cultivated land) So there
would be saving Of the tinbcr and labour of nclos
| ing eighty acres, object of great importancc
where timber is scarce and labour high. IF such arc
the Den6Hs OF the proposed law, where timber lie
scarce. would not the benefits be equally grca, where
! timber is plenty? Certainly Though IL ma NOT
be equally necessary for the convenience of the pro
pretors, IT would be equal saving of labour M
one fifth of tho fencing which now incloses their
farms would inclosc meadows and pastures for their
stock. Viewing the subject in this way concluded
that such law would promote the interest of ovorv
body and was surprised that had not been adopted
when | recolected two three OF NV wealthy
neighbours, who strong advocates for tho inn
prorement of land, and much opposed to grazing
aud having incossd every foot of their own, their
stock daily i0raGa% on the lands NJ o,bcr.. 81
suppose that the old system has been kent nm r ,b
benefit But the saving of timber and labour is not
think the only advantage TO be derived from the pro
, posed law believe 1t would produce great i'm
provemcnt IN the quality and value of our stock il,
our horned-catte particularly They are barely
able to obtain n subsistence on the open barrens on
which they regularly turned in the sprng and
consequently. arc small ard indifferent; and MANY of
them, from sheer poverty unable live tbrou oh
the winter One half the labour, which ia renured
to inclose farms, bestowed on meadows and lots
would keep them in Guc order, by which their siZc
and quality would b. much increased These obser-
nations would apply TO our hogs, with this addition
that hogs, when permitted TO large are eSpo-
sed the depredations of slaves. and TO diseases
from several causes mushrooms, sc. to which ihev
arc not subject when pastured, o tina: the planter
who wishes TO raise given number, has TO feed for
large portion OF the year, double that ouanttc
and have long since been satisfied that the cheapes,
way of raising hogs, in my neighboughood, where
PeoFe q" 'o"u VI sI"a's, 10 10 keep them up pas
lures and small Enclosures, at least proven, their
running at large. The Inconvenience of inclosipn
our farms does not result so much from scarcitv o
timber from tho exhausted and impoverished state
Of our lands On our old farms, TO procure ffty
acres of arabic land you have inclose one hundred
one half being too much wasted and worn 10 be cul.
vated; and many Of U.s. one half of whose labonr is
now thrown away, IT permitted 10 select all the
fertile spots firms, for cultivation would mako
the whole productive This we cannot do for wo
must incoae one thousand ACRES 20 get two three
hundred of good lend, md the labour which il nc
ceSsary 10 cultivate the one cannot keep up the fenc-
ing aCound the other I hope you Wi publish the
laws OF Pennsylvania on tho subject, and call tho
attention Of ahcr 10 it than
AN OLD PLANTER.
P S We viii publish those laws as soon as VIC
can get them --Ens