Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-01-28
EoR TIE WI11G.


> 10 NE Committee on lgricuNure
account OF the low state of agricultural profits
,qhas become general subject of enquiry what can
oe zone to favor agriculture? How can its profits be
ihcreased-how can its burdens be timinishedp Sop,c
VI me Causes of depression incurable bv our l
sisaton Not with all One OF the creates,
Duruens Which weighs upon agriculture, is the n.ces
sity created by our laws, 10 be q, great cb,rs =;
aoour to keep up the enclosures or fences which now
Ast all over the State. Twenty miles of fencinp no,
large estates, and ten twelve upon midGnr es,,as
are ny no means uncommon. The fencing unon every
man land is equal to the value of one wears cro
me Ia" IN Virginia requires lawful fence which
OF ten rai's s'aSSd and ridered, to fence off
your neighbours stock In England ,hev ne I've
hedSeS, mode of enclosure very well odanted -
lheif moist climate, where every sprifr nut mt ,
Souna is sure to take root In France there are no
enclosures, but you travel over eyery mart of ,b
country and see wheat field after wheat Ge,d ad
vineyard after vine yard, and no enclosures exc,
aoout gardens and yards pieces of ground intended
ior pleasure or luxury. Each mans land saen. -, ~
enclosed only by the law Our svs,en, ov;ts w os
country, and was established when the rang. ~ Wv
-, ~ " ~oous pore large proportion, in quantity
~ ae andi an" therefore it was important
~ seoule ue range as common for stock. And also
me country Astounding in timber there was the means
'aAnh@ ra''s upon and on every side of Dec- of
and intended to be enclosed; i'm fact in cIaor;r, -,
ah'i, you made the rails with very little additional
trouble. But now the range has ceased to be of v.le
anu we nave TO incur the labour of enclosing an our
ia eu lahd without any proportionate benefit II
j 'aT were passed requiring every man 10 keen bic
STOCK upon his own land and subiectinr the owpe ns
stock going at large to fine every one ,,I ei VI
Ell rose part OF his tract for standing pasture, and
al tne rest OF his land, woods, corn.feh 81
would remain unencIosed lone of TWO systams r
be adopted by US: The system adantaJ 10 On ,J
county ""ere TIMBER IS scarce and yalu HE
ana the range ct little no value or tbn sy., :
the new country where the great bodv of , $50 VI
ry is covered with forest and the stock sunnortnd NV
.ne range constitutes large portion of the wealth &c
me inhaoitants Both systems irnpose CERTAIN c,,r
OF sacrhGes upon the people, and they must exercse
SOUND discretion without allowing their minds p, ~
10y ihFeterate custom, in the choice of that
winch Will be attended with the least ch,r1a -, ,I
sea- majority OF the people. For my own mart 7
'hnA the country has already become sufcien,Iv ,d
! ~ aNe 'he existing regulations unsupportabIy bur
.nenshle 10 those that have land; and to MAKE the
auoPt'on OF the system, giant stride in arr;crIIrI
Improvement 70 show how heavy CHARGE Il is f.
comply with thSprescnt law on this subject mn ,a
even l, 'he TIMBER were the most convenient uorII
any ~here Ill this State, make up all the fano;r
his plantation, for the whole croD made in S uoh
even II IL should equal his most saneune .xnec,o 80;
Shen the timber Is inconvenent, this charge eTceaJ
All ohef charges, incurred in the cullyaton M, -,
gether and very often our citizens are dr;v "
Wester1 country by this difficulty NOTHING ;s o
common, than tor the neighbours 70 make the;r cai
h IanJ nS question: no" long such man can hold
MS iand, Judging from the quantity of timber he bo
OF MS ability to keep up a lawful fence ana n'
ioF'ed TO sell by his inability to keen up lawful ST.
Nh aus Ell, oHy 10 some one in the neighbourhood
aS rdii' tHoer convenient to his land 0f c,rso
IL Is oten the case, that only on person or two o
hos "ree' come INTO market for tract of land for
lie repusillonS OF the law. Thus in G.,
stance, DANISH man from his country and tb o. ..
MIN IN The power of a land-monger who hoo hnnrLs
~ tie ,noefed land near him in order that ne nav
5er -, .at t a, reduced price 1t matter of Won
det 10 me that every planter ana farmer in the Stat
not convinced that change of system &c raJS -
! r1eeSy ny 'ne altered circumstances of the conn
Try. know put OF one objection to the arrsno
neu' proposed; that those who live on the ,,,tI;
nSh-way would be exposed to the stock ro;no, - III
Aet' but TINS IS owing to the peculiarly of fber 49,;
anaa,. 20 "h'ch they must accommodate their
atraha einehts' have proposed this alteration of t
law, with respect TO enclosures, TO manv of W. -
poursi at the hrst proposition they are nvariahI co.
teo' out upon more full explanation, each ons ,a
LOT himself that 1t would suit him. and INF h So
very cheerfuy agree to it. This is The , o "ou'u
ao.'e exceptions. Every one, when the alternate, &c
THIS law IS first proposed, begins to make oh;; VI
t tI ia. 90 win my stock, if 1 am allowed to
lurn t"em into the range? and how can I noee;hi
maze crop, if it be not enclosed bv onof foS
.n't VIII turn my neighbours stock? You will encos
puta VI your land tor standing pasture and keen
your STOCK IN 1t until you wish to cultivate + .nd ,
you can enclose some other part of vonr .ract g.
sItanuIhs pasture, and your crop will mt rv,
viii he ~ 0 renee because all your neighbours stock
ica 49, pastures aSo--l shall be compelled n re
nuce me number of my Stock do not know ,ba , " re-
,ybn Gr OF my acquaintance neighbours boss
Hio nave the largest and finest stocks of ca nose
mem 70 go out OF their enclosures but if the Inr diow
,ho LII, U amgmia were compelled reduce the number ~
go, . Wouiu diminish the wealth of the StatpS A.
sem, tiey nave number of poor cattle wanda Tg ~ pre-
cnnt ne snnc and Spreading the dsemper all ever the
,s ~ ~ "hdt use are they to the owner al least ,hai
p's part oil them for which cannot find oas d ' sur
I1I .hs" ana few hogs that all our cultivated Iar
d' dh expense OF labor, which if applied to b.rn o.
~ would III few years, produce an ,nronnsi
@ on Inc lace of the country? Ilhere are snne $40
valuable range thenM and an abund, co e,
"a bu' me great majority Of them h4ye ne tb,r th.
@ ~ 1e ana all legislative regulations should consul, ,n
SD O'I" OF society And in Tny turn | asked ,hen
" ould you dc all the fencing anew unvy. b, " ~
hau' 'ne raiis and make up all the fencno ,on y
% @ Tor one years cropS [This question g intended "
O' 'd' ne fencing now made necessary by the Ian ~
' TAX iIaVe you made estimate Of the ahnr non,
tVey year, to make and repair fences and ,yha, sf -
nave, u applied to Improvements which vvoulI
@ Poulc"veness oil the land? Have ycu made csiri
~, =" l"G Vdue OF the timber, DESTROYED eyerv yes e.
oI e trees mat afford the greatest number of rail- c
"e s TIMBER trees first cut down 10 he ,,sno
o rave you made estimate of the ulan,y "a L.,
,s cue required 10 be kept reserve land Of conyse IN
IF , lo keeping up enclosures Have Won ibo,,h
49, ~ hummer OIL people VINO driven The yyeser1 cn,,
c 100 IaOr necessary keep up their (encings 80, D
49, VI we .e'o'encss or the scarcity of ral tIm,e5 and Nv
pC" Is generally thought be of more noor,a,c, ~
M va" 70 any other kind OF stock DO Won recosct ,h
arc rom me great labor required To keen them in re-
mt CONDITION. that the hogs Constantly mako ;,sJ,
,i,o urn ielis and are often killed. In a roy,I
osns oI lnc two systems one Won are ol,J 80
, 80, "l Solr cleared lands the other only ,as,s =
,,Z Le each man ask himself the question is wy, 10,
re VIeu 70 make the fences on your plantation ai
IN @ " repair Of more value than all vour s,ocL d. 80
an,f W. 90 not ask the question: if the la5or .n,,,r
n 'nS FENCES, be equal to the benefit arnnaliy de-,
ya ase' Dpt the labor timber &c be not e,,aI 81, @
J ~ INC S'ock-Nhat has been said above is IN, nv
a -,