Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-07-02

no, lost ns importance the Statute book OF later Zines
Formerly, II Of cash medium OF remittance
the mother country and circulating currency anong
citizens. The Inspectors notes passed readily do
the Bank notes OF the preen, days and individuals gave
their bonds for tobacco, often Tor money The
haustng effects OF its culture, arise well from its heavy
drafts upon the SOIL Tor the juices which contribute 10 its
size aud weight aud its oily narcotic qualities the
necessary process OF dlagc The land srpt OF every
thing down 10 the OF decayug leavesthe rich We
getable mould that had been accunulang Tor centuries
Is then scraped up Into hills, mixed with portion OF the
soil IRON below. For many years past previous coulter
ing has been loud necessary in Of the injury
done, and compac,ness given TO the SOIL by the long
r1mlng oil domestic animals. This mould, thus sudden.
exposed to the atmosphere the rain and the
cNaporated or washed Into the vsies Being soluble in
great degree its evaporation H. in my opinion, great
s oonsuhhuoh IN every other way Tor II rarely washes
OIL under the tobacco crop except from steep hill
The elevation OF the tobacco hills them before
shaded by heavy plants dry quickly both by sun aud
wind To this we may add the frequent stirring OF the
grouhd when The plant young by the process OF weed
Here, by way OF depression, must be excused for a
few remarks which would seem to have a more appropr
ate place elsewhere. But, they apply to this mould
s young anu enderest part OF all soils, insert them in
this place.
The vegetable mould found the top of all virgin land,
varies IN thickness according 10 But these
circumstances involve philosophical enquiry into which,
the limits oil fugitive essay do not permit enter
WY - IT. that The leaves OF the forest rapidly decay
the rich woodlands of tho Western country aud that they
are covered with grass? Is this the case sometimes
in the forests OF Virginia Why do leaves of the Wal
NUT and other trees dccompcse SO rapdly i'm all a.
tuauons and why is the ground about them richer than
that adjacent? The mould the top of new land ought
never to be broken up aud exposed iii be AVOIDED
On Tue conrsry, ongh 10 be turned under mixed
with the under soil. This process will be little diff
cult in new ground But the benefits resulting from the
INK mixture ana Fermentation will more than compensate
Tor the trouble. | would recommend that such land
be prepared as well as possible and planted in corn
without destroying the cover OF leaves by the barba
rous and common practice of rakng and burning
oil hoe.
will be greatly benefited by the half decayed ,yigs
| leaves aud wood which cover our virgin land Neither
whea nor tobacco Will well amidst the of
new ground. The work will intcrmix the whole mass of
litter with the mould and small par, ne xt stratum
And thus, when the crop comes of he preyious stir
ring and amagamaion OF the mould, leaves, twgs rotten
wood, and part oil the subso will be preparation for
alter crops Ii is true. that tho greater the quantity Of
inter- the less corn will the land yield. II we could
spread me, or mari or even the common article OF
plaster upon IT, before coucring and working the corn
crop would be relieved from its pale green scky appear
ance' anu give more AIM and that ripper. The fross
OF the next winter will prepare this land for crop of to-
bacco small grain II the soil be good and the owner
wishes TO make tobacco, he will get more the nex year
anu even ths following than he could bave made the
irs year, at OF the oil! plan OF rdkng and burning We
nave souS" as our ancestors did, every mode OF destroy.
ing Inc vegetable mould upon lands and the mate
rails out OF which il is produced My idea is that with
farmer, or even the tobacco maker who has lots or
la,s,it would be best put his new land managed az
nave described in small grain The second year. followed
up by clover and plaster the third and fourth wears Az
ter this, 1t will have yielded him fair return be rich.
l
good crop Il any hing he may wish to cultivate And il
may be, progressively improved by poper rotation if
,nere be clay foundations il not can be Kept produc
re, ana comparatively rich The chief difficulty in re-
claiming exhausted land arises from the absence of pu
t'uscent vegetable matter, which originally contained
aud which has been DESTROYED by severe cronpin hal
t"gc and close grazing Ii is lin vain that nature annual
attempts TO renew this essential food of plants when
the rapaciy OF man and beast unite defeat her efforts
But, to proceed
Tobacco leaves but little ofa or manure and il comes
ohihe ground so late in the fall that helerng i'm
proving a'er crop ollowst No crop remains long on
the hands OF the cuvator requires such constant and
a,guing labor generally from twelve 10 eighteen
months from the sowing of the seed arrival at mar.
ket All this time it requires attention if not the
constant application OF labor The planter formerly relied
upon II as his only of income he seldom made
corn Tor sae and often less than ho wanted and the wheat
crop went 10 make up deficiencies, pay taxes, &C. In
this respect there has been favorable change within the
recollection of the writer. Woodlands adapted tobacco
have now become scarce, and il is chiefly raised on ma
nred lots, and rich flats Necessity has thus driven the
planters to the practice of taking of manure but
they devote nearly all OF it to their tobacco lots More
attention 10 now paid TO grain crops than formerly The
three shift system the c~.'y pursued, by which
each held is improperly said TO year in three but
under the kind attention and constant of ali hc
lour-iooed animals the farm IT, however pct. a
Mule respite after harvest when the stock are turned into
tho grain fields 10 CLEAN them, and destroy the voung az
Ter growth OF weeds and grass which provident AZURE
rows up as protection from the SUM- and as fresh sun.
ply oil vegetable matter to sustain the growth the ne
year IN he rotation oil crops, she sets beautiful ex
ample Look TO the various productions she sends forth
on new land and especially when destroy each pro-
Hc HeHt Is Always inherent IRON the
by preceding one. This land desoying Virginia system
OF hsoandry has been praclised by almost whole COM
munity unI within few years, and majority of our peo
pie still pursue it, And is to be wondered at that after
the destruction OF so much of the soil by tobacco and such
long perseverance in this system lands wear out and
yield such scanty returns for the labor the usbandman,
III you examine the plantation of the tobacco maker Won
find every appearance OF poverty objectionable neglect
The owner will acknowledge that things ought to be and
might be better but that he has no time TO spare OWING
to the pressure oil his crops particularly his tobacco crop
which intereres with all his other operations
The whole year There is much truth in his excuses
Tor IN January, February and March, lie is clearing
new grounds preparing and burning plant beds; fenco
ing manuring, and following tobacco lots {; sowing
oats, Ploughng, and preparing corn land and either
stlpFIng or pnzing tobacco; perhaps both. In April
May, and June, his tolls begin assume more interest
and require more exerton his whole crop of corn is TO
plant, re plant, thin, weed and cuvae the tobacco hills
are to be made, turned, cut Oft and The first paintings made
The old crop oil tobacco is yet 10 be finished pzng and
hauled TO market not previously done; experience bay
ing proven that The longer it is kept before pzng the
sounder and better cured will be-especisIly for shin
ping. Harvest is now at hand; but that peri
try AMI icsiivity TO the mere farmer- hr.uu
less toll and accumulated q DBae9l! re-
81 That which stood WELL and
B|m illage Of tho whole with the hand hoe
"a on the one hand; whilst OIL the other his late
I - l.