Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-06-25
"A griCultVpe.
lfrom Edmund Rr6lHs FARMERS REoI.rEs, for Juns.J


MEMORANDA
Of the general system of Cultivation and Improvement
Prdct'sed by Fielding LeDis, Esq. Of Hyanoke.
Reports OF the practices and opinions OF experienced
and successful farmers, however Incomplete limited in
their plan, are generally, interesting and instructive TO
those who have still 10 contend with similar difficulties
and are able 10 make ofsmla for the
ment of their lands. Independent of these general con-
alterations there other circumstances peculiar to the
farm oil MIR. Lewis, which may report OF its ina.
Dagemeni to be satisfactory than might be presented
elsewhere, even though equal intelligence aud industry
had been exercised, and equal greater
made. Under these Impressions, offer the following
memoranda OF visit recently made to Wyanoke april
the 10Th, 1881 the time of which diligently em.
poyed In viewing the farm and making injuries the an
swers TO which will be here presented The general an
pearance of the land will be described as struck upon
the FIRST view of Stranger but the details of pracce mr.
opinions Will be given as furnished by Mr.. l.. aided
lwhen he iound 1t necessary by reference the diary
his operations.
situated on the north side of James River Charles CITY
County The whole farm exclusive OF L5O acres of land
outside oil the enclosure, principally low masb) consists
OF 600 acres of land, almost entirely arabic IL is low
peninsula, surrounded by the and small creek
eept on one side where straight land line forms boun
dairy he whole peninsula, though nearly vel through
out, is DO where entirely but has gently undul nr
surlace which keep the soil abundany ry with
out there being any where enough decviy TO be ohec
tonabe. The whole OF the arabic land was cleared ionp
ago. and its natural boundaries forbid an alteration al
the extent OF the farm the quantity land subjected TO
tsge has moi varied in halt century. For this reason
the rate OF Improvement may be here estimated with de
gree OF precision that is rarely aaabe on other farms
where clearings other
ly served to alter the extent of land cultivated Wysnoke
Is altogether OF that class Of low lands hch are found Al
intervals along the tide Of James River-whcb
10 have been formed by the alluvon of the river but
which formation could have taken place unless The
water had then both volume and rapidy very far ex
ceeing what now exist, and long continued elevation
wiih.l 70 &C.. 10. 'as eve- Ieeu Auown. Such
origin, apparently had the Hne lands of Curle Neck
Shirley, Berkeley Westover, Flower de Hundred Brandon
and Sandy Point, and various other tracts which
standing all the existing diveFdes Of SOIL and of cleva.
lion, maintain general resembsnce Wyanoke stretches
out to form angle in the of the river and
tie many depressons n The land xend from
10 east and nearly parallel TO each other seemingly as
river had passed over IN its direct course forming the
land by its sediments and leaving in these he
western side OF the land is the highest and the ee
ton gradually increases through the adjoining land (Dr
Mi0ges0 which Is OF the apparent formation and ge
neral character But contrary what might be expected
from such natural causes the upper most
the most srglIaceous, and the eastern and lowest
trenity Of the peninsula, silcious sand of which the
particles OF much heavier. This lower ex
remify has but few feet OF elevation above the boes
tides, and the depressions there lo enough m he
covered by the tides unless where projected bv sLor
dykeS The few and strips thus Injured mr. Io.t
form the only unproducye land within the
OF arabic. The western end, which is generallv Inc
highest may be called good Oam OF medium tex nre
equally removed from adbesveness and oosenes Tho
lowest and other parts very sandy and loose in
texture, aod the great body OF land is Of different grades
between these two In ~ impoverished state
aud when under uge, great part Of the farm iD dry
weather might suer injury from the force Of high winds
Tie general fertility aud peculiar value OF The low Lands
referred 70 above are well known. Lower Wyanoke
seems 10 differ from all in being more sandy and until
improved, also much poorer, than the greater mart M
those ands Enough s renllins unn proved to indicate
the general quality o. neatly 80 e farm IN 1894 when
Nc lew hcctne IL ownsr, aDi peIhaPs long alter