Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-08-20
REM A II X s

country thre,hed and measured only half the shocks
which made three thousand bushels and the remainder
estimated at the same, and fed away the straw
lgI PouGhed in fifty acres of oats to ameliorate the
Ia"n having large supply oil the preceding years crop
oats, did not justify the repetition.
M Some oats cut up for feeding this year and the next
are not included in he quantity stated for those years
III LINED fifty ialowed land with FIVE hundred
casks OF stone me-he effect very considerable the
wheat
ri Two hundred barrels of this crop of corn were from
twentyhv Of the oa field, which is the only ex-
eepton 10 the general practice of corn being excluded
from the highland.
m Three hundred and twenty five acres in wheat in
stead OF two hundred before by addition from the
land before kept Tor pasture.
In the fall OF 1881 the standing pasture 1.-TWO hundred
and fifty acres divided into four equal parts and one of
them added TO each Of The four fields the size
OF each TO hundred and sixty aud a half acres
This year (S33D have purchased hundred acres for
standing pasture, TO make my system complete and the
next winter, shall clear twenty five more TO add 10 NV
cultivated fields, which with tho twenty five acres in lots
uvaon and two hundred for pasture exclusive OF the re
claimed land now expect to begin TO reap the full be-
ncti OF my system OF cultivation. Tie first four hundred
acres may be considered "a permanently improved and
the recent addition from the former pasture fair wav
OF Improvement, las il is well taken with cover) and the
whole crops ought now 10 increase every year
Since 1925 we have moved very little clover as the
cultivation and other abors of the re- iimed have
left but little time for hay.mskng Consequently near
y all the clover has been poughed in improve the soil
In addition TO the results above stated, will give
for thinking the four shift system tho bss' C
our James River lands.
10 Tic fist place Of the objects OF the Virginia far
mer should be- TO make much possible for each hand
employed as labor is much dearer than land in this coun
try and lie cannot make full profit to the hand whou,
cuiIYatng olcraby Urge surface, which the four SHIFT
system enables him TO do.
Secondly, no farmer improve hi. land or keen up
lis fertility without great deal Of manure and that ma
nure cannot be made without great deal of ol Of which
to make it, The four shifts with the standing pasture
give him more ofai than any other system The stand
ing pasture supports stock enough through the
without grazing his clover fields convert his ofal into
manure during winter; and il is all important i'm this sys
TEN not TO Craze clover fields which are to be aIow
ed 30 az 10 have heavy clover lay turn under to re-
store the land after the three successive grain crops os
wen as TO make good crop OF wheat the ensuing year
In the third place, il is my opinion that the more FREE
quehty you plough up your land provided YOU turn nm.
der manure, good lay of some kind Glover is the
besl The ias0r you improve liz and there system in
which you can make much manure, so often turn
under the clover lay as in this.
While on the subject OF manures, will digtess a lne
to mention some few experiments have made; and i'll
first state that is Of very little consequence lin nv op
nio how you NE your manure, provided you really do
uSe he great art IS TO make IL, and that in large guam
titles II is like money: any spend it, but few
can (or rather wilD make it, in any quantity.
ln the spring Of 1928, made the following
My farm pen manure, (Which generally apply by plough
ing in with the clover allow in the a Just before sowing
wheaD was divided into four parts, of which was
hauled out early in April and pou ina second
was hauled out and used dressing on the clover
which was backward, and unpromising-a third haul
ed out and left IN heaps, (each heap wagon oadO and
well covered with earth until the fall and then plough.
ed in just before sowing wheat and The fourth wa, le
the farm yard, as usual with me, until the fall and
then hauled out, and ploughed in just before sowing
wheat The top dressing produced The best wheat-tbs
which was eit ia the iarm-yad until the fall the ne xt
and that which poughed under in pril the worst
But III the crops since that time, there has been 10 dTe
renee visible aud all The pieces oil land very much inn
proved; that OF the opinion before bait is of
little consequence how you manure 30 that il il re all
ly used-and that IL Is spread well over the surface
which is very important There is exception TO the
above opinion, vi it could be pracsed-but have never
Tie farmer ia climate IN the lower country who
could allUde 10 the winter top dressing Of wheat which
Is certainly The quickest in its effect, aud the perma
nent ~ duration; but we il in that way
to any extent n climate, Tor several reasons Our
winters are 70 short and the ground rarely hard
frozen enough 10 ba upon that il is impossible 10
do much at this kind Of work We are compelled TO bed
and frow our land from end the other and Eea
w wagons were to upon in wet winters land
they always wct) both the land and wheat would be
ruined But have not the least doubt il il could be ef
iecied, haiti s the very best way OF using manure n
done early alter sowing wheat, IL improves the wheat We
y much aud nsures heavy crop Of clover after wheat
Tor protects the clover from the spring lros and en-
aes you TO SOW your clover seed early which IL very inn
Portan on weak land; and then in the summer il
The young clover from hot sun and great droupbs
which we frequently have. consider good crop OF clio
yer az equal iotwo manurDgs and 1t is that which makes
the top dressing IN winter durable because il
the clover top dress little, though very little every