Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-10-09
Inch IS respectfully submitted.
Ff0m The Baltimore Farmer,


Ffom The Balim0re Farmer
REFLECTIONS suGGHsrfD by Dr. PArrERsoN's
LII In second letter from Dr. 1 hos
1o''efsoh, dated August 25h he said his crop Of
corn would lall short of his first estimate 10 bush
pc' acre al least one fourth, in consequence Of
me drought. lie now supposes he shall gather
80 bushels per acre
Ills plan OF managing his land is certainly VIC.
fy good one. Where he turned in The old se,lgo in
INC iall OF 1882 and planted corn in the spring fol
lowing, as described in our notice last week, he
states that when ploughing the ground for rye,
alter the corn crop, he found the broom sedse not
hi"fo 'hah nan OF II rotten bong turned 40 IN
'his state, and mited IN ,ctih the Garth by the
plough ard narrow IL has the cifrc, to turn the son
tom yellow Or reddish color to Ihot of n ahfk
mould and II gives helsnd which is a sandy loan
u more ifn and tcnnc Gus consstcnce he ,s,i.
mates the effects Of this hnlf decomposed broom
stdge TO be equal on the crop of rye to 10 or IL
Ioads OF stable manure 10 the acre and TO hive m
creased The crop from or o bushels 10 10 or l2
per acre. This practice shows IN a striking light
me value o. iermcnng vegetable matter hi tho
earih ana IN all the details il accords with the
principles Of science We know no, whether DR.
Patterson has taken his views Of agriculture from
books or reflection, bu. from which ever source he
may have derived them, his practice is essentially
that Of " bosk fCti ming
The fact of broom sedee thus changing the co.
lor, texture and fertility ofthc soil, ~hon .,llcr.d
10 deccmposc undera covering Of earth, show. tho
lnpolicy practised III clearing new ground by burn
ing the leaves and vegetable matter found n the
surface OF the earth IN lis virgin state. If such
ge'aole matter were drawn mo large heaps, and
placed with alternate strata earth and Tho heaps
ca Iaru
by the fcrmcntable mass the decomposition would
be rapidly occomp lshed and the whole substance
converted INTO soluble matter, fitted to he absorbed
by the roots ofplants, and converted into their owl
substance. Ii the leaves IN tho woods, the biiars
weeds and noxlous vegetables, wore gathered be-
joie heF ScedS7lpcn and IN such manner re-
dnced to a soluble state, aud applied to The arabic
laha, we should see FEVER poor barren fields. Bui
We snail be met with the question, who Can take
time for this We will state a case for the farmer
who canno, find time for such employment
Which IS better, for farmer to prepare five IA.
crcs OF land, TO fence it, cultivate it, aud pay tax for
it, and at harvest to reap twenty bushels of wheat
leaving MS land poorer every crop, md so as TO
produce lItIc Or no grass while lying untitled or
on the other hand, to purchase one acre and cult
vate II we'll spending the time and expense which
would b, applied TO the cultivation of the remain
ere, and at harvest 10 reap dirty bushels of wheat
and to nave the land left rich, and productive of
grass during the intervening years of ullagc We
think this plain case--farmets should make it
one of their leading objects through the year to
MAKE manure, and every Other branch Of bu.iness
should be pursued IN reference to this grca, o. Jec.
II horses be not fed they cannot work and If yegc
tables Be not fed, they will not grow.
Since writing the above, We have received ano
thcr letter hom the same gentleman an extract
from winch we cannot refrain hom appending,
though part Of ii is similar to what VIC have alrea
dy given. As to his Injunction not TO use his nam,
II came .Qo late-our last number was already
printed. But why should he thus restrict rs 7
We certainly acknowledge his ri hi TO do so, bu'
VIC think we are more dlsnores'ed judges TO
the expedency than he, and VIC appeal to our rea
ders whether better language than his is necrssa-
| ry for the oLect-so here goet
"lfyou are going to say any thing about plough
lns-ln broom scdgc, and other vegetables weed,
can only say, that am delighted with the appear
ance Of the fields | am sowing down now, IN
| "blch the seJse has been ploughcd down ayear
ana upwards-lt is SO far roted, that now bsing
tuned up to the air and imbIbing another portion
of oxygen, &c. il will Immediately furnish pabulum
| 70 the crop now sowing-thc color of the soil is
totally changed. deliberately say, that has fur
| nlshcd much manure to the acre as II or Is
OK car, loads from the stable have often rcmon-
| srated with farmers setting fire to, aud burning
of sedgo, &c from Old fields about to be broken up
for corn &c they replied that broom scdse won't
make manure, when in fact they never give II u
| chance Of doing it. If il Is even poughed un itt
| they Immediately throw tnp 20 the top by cuitIva
ing their corn. and the hot dlsspates II 10 the
winds. II takes from IL 10 10 months to rot. |
have no doubt III. best way would be- to SOW half =
bushei or three pecks Of plaster on II before turned
under and then after rloughng, t. run good hea-
Wy roller over it this would aiJ the crop, and pro
mote the decomposition of the materials turned M
der. | have no doubt that those plnughs which
turn the sod over fiat far more promouve OF
improvement. OF the soil than those which leave set
on its edge | do think Ihcre is no one thing IN
which farmers IN the lower counties of V'rgInia
and Nary Ind err more, than in burning every hing
off old fields before breaking hem up. Manure is
very scarce article with poor farms or sections OF
the country
" have stated these facts and ideas-if you are
about TO publish any thing relating TO the subject
you must use your own style for l never have
been in the habit of writing for the press, nor 81
writing with care. You may give me for any
authority you please, but not my name Or Ian
suage.
los um up the method which have pursued
'Or rather Doctor, are not poor farms a plentl
fil article where The max no and su wing of manure