Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1837-06-15

For my pnrt, am not disposed TO credit n
report, and entertain the opin ion, that thel
must be system Of agriculture, suited
that Climate, and calculated TO render w lie;
raising profitable business ; and. replyin
TO your letter offers an occasion on which W
may speak OF what has been done i'm othe
countries ; and amongst those gentIeme
| you are associated with, for the purpose G
improving our agriculture, there will b
many qualified TO investigate the subject 4
which this letter relates and some who's
desire is TO arrive at fact, will try the expe
rIment, and by That means procure the dsci
sion. which Nature and experience only can
give.
Wheat, al good quality and abuntian,
crops, 10 raised in the neighborhood of ST.
Andrews, in Scotland, and even further
north. Now St. Andrews is in about So de.
grees OF north latitude, and east of Conuecti-
cut river there must be millions of acres of
iaad equally asgood in quality as are the
wheat lands of Scotland. The climate here
Is more favorable than that of Scotland. Let
US inquire into the practice followed there &
in other countries, and, by comparison, en-
deavor 10 discover n system that 10 TO i'm
prove our own agriculture.
In the Scots portion Of The Island OF Great
Britain, there are large extents of mountain
Gus and high lands, that, in consequence of
this height, ale so cold and wet that even cats
cannot ripen upon them. Between this high
land and the sea, there are extensive tracts
of low land, (such as tho land between Phi.
ladelphin and the Susguehanna is by the road
to Lancaster) gradually undu!ating and de-
Ginning towards the sea. OF this, there is a
good specimen in the tract that extends from
Pentland hills northward, TO the shore of the
Forth, an arm Of the sea, about seven miles
a nj -
the sea, is about seven or eight miles In
this short distance, viz. seven or eight miles
from the sea, 10 the foot OF the hills, there is
a very considerable rise in the surface of the
land. Tbs exact amount of this rise il has
not been my fortune TO have seen stated
though, as the city of Edinburg is supplied
with water from these hills, there must ex.
isl accurate measurements, a Knowledge of
which would be useful 10 US on the present
occasion, and, in lis absence, renders il ne
cessary TO refer TO facts that are on memory,
and are applicable to tho object of this letter,
viz. inquiring into the usages of other coun-
tries, for The purpose OF discovering the Ia ans
OF Improving our own.
In the space that extends from Pentland
hills to the SEA. the effects of altitude on We
gelatIon are distinctly presented 80 the vyo
and understanding IN one single view. The
OF grain commences nj the sea side;
there are TO be seen the yellow fields, and
the reapers, and in the distance, farther in>
land and high up, the crops are later and lai-
er and after the fields are entirely harvested,
In the space between Edinburgh and the sea,
the oat fields around the village of Killeaih
are still green, for Killea,h is the verge of
the grain growing climate and too high for
wheat. n was so in 1890; ] have not heard
that any improvement in the last forty years
has extended the cultivation oiwheat beyond
the altitude flhat period.
1t the American tourist were TO pay some
attention 10 matters of this kind, he could
render himself useful 10 his country he could
make US acquainted with what other people
can do, and enlarge our own field Of industry,
and range Of resource.
The principal object Of this letter il 10 con
suit you on plan Of cultiyating wheat, that
may give the farmer an ihcreased chance of
good crops, and also TO extend the cultivation
beyond jts present limits.
As any conclusion we may by reasoning.
come at can only prepare US Tor practical eX-
pertinent, ii will be sufficient TO state few
facts to give the idea of what the experiment
should be. In the parish of Creighton, in the
county OF Edinburgh, there is farm called
The Saughland, the surface Of which is q gen,
tly Inciining plain, distant from the sea about
y miles in straight line. Its position is
north OF The Lammermoor, and east Of the
Pentland hills. This farm is compact, aud
contains about six hundred English acres,
and is on the boundary line of the wheat re.
gion for il is only on The lower part. or one
third Of the whole, that wheat could be cult.
waited in 1890 On this farm | know that
from the time of sowing 10 the commencing
TO reap wheat, the period was about thirteen
months, no less than one year and one month
The grain was large, but coarse in quality
not so valuable as that grown on the lower
lands, but the quantity was great, differing
very little from the crops grown in the more
favorable climates. The coarseness of the
grain was not all owing 10 the GOODNESS Of The
climate, but in part 10 its wetness. Tbehills
in the vicinity attract tho vapors, and this
induces The rains TO commence sooner in their
neigbborhood, and continue longer, Than in
places at a greater distance from the hills.
II is from recollection have TO give you
these observations, made many years since |
and, consequently, we have not that precis
ion that is so desirable in matters oflbls kind
II would be very useful Tor us 10 know the
exact distance that Killeath, and the farm
spoken Of, are from the sea, and their height
above the level Of the ocean. This have no
recollection ofsyer having seen stated but
that Of K ilIeath, we may presume, has been
accurately measured, because il is from the
hills in lis DeiShborhood that the CITY Of Ed
inburgh is supplied with water.
The circumstances havo been recalled TO
memory by some accounts ] have lately
heard OF new practice adopted in some parts
of France, which is, that they SOW their
wheat in June, and mix ii with the two
rowed barley, a grain that vegetables and
grows with great rsPidity, and il too delicate
to resist frost. The wheat, and its compan-