Delaware State journal, advertiser and star. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1832-1833, 1833-07-12
AGRICULTURAL.
SYSTEM OF FARMING.
Penhark, IA. June IL, 1888.
Mr.. SMITH:


Dear Sir,-Agrccably to my promise, l
sat down to give you the result of my expe-
liencc in farming for forty years. l remov-
ed from the country of Loudoun, to Abe
marie, In the fall of 1899, with but little ex-
perence in farming generally, and much
less in improving worn out land. At that
time the whole face of the country present. |
ed scene of desolaton that battles descrip-
tion-farm after farm had been worn out,
and washed and quilted, so that scarcely an
acre could be found in place fit for cutiva-
ton. 1T will be we'll to observe here, that
therei is ridge of red land passing through
the counties of Albemarie and Orange,
whose soil was of the very best quality, and
| susceptible of the highest degree of improve
ment, Tut which had at the same time been
bntchered by that most horrible mode of cul-
ture adopted by the first settlers of this coun-
| try. The practice then was to clear the
land, to put it in tobacco for three or four
years in succession, according to the strength
OF the soil, afterwards in corn and wheat al
temately, or corn and oats SO long it was
capable of producing any thing. They nev-
err ploughed in those days, but simply scratch
ed the ground, and this too, right up and
down the steepest hills, instead of horizon
tally, with these little one horse half share
or shovel ploughs, until the whole virgin
soil was washed and carried off from the
ridges into the vallies. This is a very imper-
feet description of the face of the country at
the time of my settlement here; believe it
would not be saying too much, if were to
affirm, that there had not been before that
period, one good plough in the country.
Col. Thomas Man Randolph. had commence
ed the horizontal ploughing on his farm; but,
for the want of good p.oughs, it was a long
time before he could succeed sufficiently
we'll to induce others ito adopt the same
plan. Indeed, there were many who though
considered at that time good practical far
mers, were disposed to ridicule it for years
after Col. Randolph adopted it. And here,
since there has been some little discussion Of
late in regard to the question, who first intro.
duced this mode of ploughing,I will take thu
liberty of saying, that there is no person il
Albemarle who ever doubted, nor do l nv.
self doubt, that although some considerable
improvement may have been made by 9th
ers since that gentleman adopted it, yet he i.
! entitled to the whole credit of its original in
production, and for which he deserves mon
ument to his memory.
Suffice it to say, in regard to the condition
ofthe country at the time speak of, that il
wore the most haggard, frightful poverty.
stricken appearance imaginable, never hav,
: ing had upon it either plaster or clover, or
as one might naturally judge from its looks
vegetation of any kind. We had but one
alternative in this state of things, either to
i'm prove and restore the soil, or to remove tc
some new and better country; which latter
course was the most common--the majority
, of farmers, after they had impoverished their
lands, preferring to leave the improvement
of them to others, rather than undertake it
themselves. There is here, as in all other
places, great variety of opinions in regerd
to the best mode of mprovement-the man.
ner of ploughng, whether deep or shallow
the time of ploughing-- the time and manner
OF applying neutrality-suspicious. which must
be decided according to circumstances, and
not by single invariabe rule. There are
! some things, however, which NAV be consid-
cred as all important--su as a rotation of
crops, rigid and scrupuous attentio on to the
collection and preservation of all the manure
that can be obtained, and great care in
ploughing; for good ploughing, IN my estima-
ton, is the first step towards the improve
ment of an exhausted farm.
i Ginger (or. HeaUeS IN Horses. "A cores
pondent of the New-York Farmer SAYS
that his horse who is now in his twentieth
year, has been cured of the disease called
s'heaves" 'by the use of ground ginger,
remedy recommended to him for the pur-
pose. A table spoonful was given to him
daily for several weeks, mixed in his mess
of Indian meal and cut straw.
| The horse had been troubled with
wheeling and hard cough for year
or two, and had lost flesh SO mnch that