Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-10-27
From Tie Farmers Register.

f>so~gatng an COrnaalks, the cheapest mode oCu-
sing them for manure byy H. S
4 he several operations of carting our cornstaks
" '"c oa'hyarus, converting them 10 manure, and
han carrying them TO be restored TO The soil require
so large portion ofthe labour of good farmers and
are so generally neglected by others, that il would
DC most desirable resul, to obtain the same bcne-
nj for the SOIL by much less labour There can be
no oouot OF the great dlminutlon OF abour by the
practice described IN the following letter of plough
ing IN the stalks, whole and unrot,ed, before SOW
ing wheat Tho doub, is, whether the soil receive
equal benefit, and wha,her there may not thence a.
rise some positive damage to tho wheat crop. Ii
The practice s beneficial as late as whont is usually
sown. 1t must be more so earlier, when the stalks
retain much OF their sap aud therefore, it would
SUIT well TO be used with the plan of gathering corn
before II IS dry, as described in No ! OF the Far
hie' REGISTER Ed. Far. Reg.
kennons, Amelia, November 10, 1888
Bear Su,--l VIII with great pleasure answer
your inquiries respecting my method Of plous ing
IN cernsaks--bul feel some what ashamed that the
only communication made for tho Register, by me.
should be on the subject of coyn1alks The saving
OF labour in cutting down the stalks before gather
ing the ears as detailed in my former letter, deem
OF great importance. AMI regret that SO few far
mers have been prevailed Oh TO adopl it, assert
II as the result of experience, that if six hands be
necessary to cut down and pick up corn on the
old plan so as TO keep ahead of your ploughs tina
four 4nerpct fenced hands, can, with the short
helved hoe, do ii. and with three days experience,
three will do the same it'll ease. But TO return
20 the subject of poushing cornsalks. II the corn
has been cultivated on smooth surface Il mean
without beds, after gathering tho ears the stalks
are cut with long heived hoe so as to cause them
TO fall promlscuously over the land. We commence
ploughing (say with -four two horse ploughs a
large kind (arouEd tho hill, fthcrc be any y after
going round twice, one active boy grl follows
the ploughs, picking up o7iy such stalks as remain
uncovered on the ptoushca land and laying them
in the furrow Of the last or hlndmcst plough, 10
be covered as the ploughs come round .gain. If
your poughs turn well and he land be not very
grassy think they will cover three fourihs of the
stalks, leaving only one fourth TO be picked ap, and
laid in the turows-l very frequently SOW the
wheat before floughing guarding against covering
1t too deep and level Inc land with bush or light
log 1.-THE land he ploughed before sowing the
wheat, We harrow, Of course, the same way the
land was ploughcd, to avoid pulling up the stalks.
fthe corn has been planted on beds, we use the
short hevcd hoe, in cutting the stalks, and lay them
in the water furrow, to be oogercd by the ploughs
The information here given, is designed for your
own use, After having tried the system, if nppro.
we'd, your recommends ton would have more nfu
ence, han fifty Of nine. | think the stalks thus
managed, improve the land | am sure you derive
all the advantages that the stalk itself possesses
The communication Of Mr.. Bruce in the last
Register, | deem of more importance to the
country, between tide water and the Blue Ridge
than any article heretofore published by you |
have been practising the horizontal di,chng TOR Sc
yeral years, and have no hesitation in saying, if
the system had been adopted 6liy years ogo, that
tina, section of the country, now, would be worth
fifty per cent more than II is. | had designed u
commun cation for the Register on the subject, con-
neced with the planting and cultivation of Indian
corn-but fhs had not rendered mine unnccessa-
ry, communication in the last Register, signed L.
z. in which five or six ploughings and three or
four hoeings directed would have deferred me >
After planting ! rcver plough the land but twice,
and this year usct the hoes but once. You will
perceive from the many ntetInea,lons that have
written in great haste. 1t is now ten o'clock a,
nigh, cannot copy. You have my best wish
es for success in yonr laudahc undertaking aud
the proFcz Of my feeble but jealous efforts TO sery.
you as you lIay direct.
Very respectfully, your fiiend
J. II. S.
-0ur correspondent has mistaken the purport Of
the piece he refers TO but even if Otherwise, any
incorrect opinions previously presented TO our ren =
ders, would make statements Of better practices sc
much the more desirable. Ed. Far. Ca<.