Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1842-10-26
AGRICULTURAL.
From, The Southern Piaaitr.
AGRICULTURAL LETTER FROM
GEN. WASHINGTON,

AGRICULTURAL LETTER FROM
GEN. WASHINGTON.
We are indebted 10 the Kindness or al
old friend for 'he following valuable loca
ment; valuable no, only because of the
revered source from which it emaua:es,
but because il affords fnahS escrIieut les
sons from an able and practical furmer
il is too strongly characteristic of The
American hero We see here The exercise
in private life Of that attention TO detail,
that inlexible devotion to order and dis
cipline. hich so emineptiy mark ID. pub.
lie character Of Washington. No QUO can
read this letter without seeing at once that
the writer was an industrious. sound.
practical farmer. He. whose iudomilable
energy had given freedom TO a world. did
not esteem the most minute details of az.
rcultura unworthy his attention.
II will probably surprise The reader 10
find Gen. Washington insisting upon the
use of harrows and cuItiva,ors ~ the cul-
iiyalion of his corn; this wc have been
accustomed TO plume ourselves upon as a
much more modern invention.
This letter, airccted TO his overseers, is
taken from The manuscript copy in Wash
insron's own hand writing, aud, as we are
informed, now appears in print for the
I FIRST time.
Philadelphia, 14h July. 1903.
Gcnllernen,-it being indespeusably ne
cessary that | should have some person at
Mount Vernon through whom can COM
municaie my e;-who will see that
lhese orders are executed or, Il nol obey.
cd, who willinlom me why they arc NOT !;
who will receive ihe week y reports aud
transmi. them; receive money aud puy
il; and in general do those things which
do no, apprrair TO any individuaL over.
seet--i huveseat my nephew, MIR. Howell
Lewis, iwhviya; with ne here) u attend
40 NriTeIT can pruVife m an,ger of
established reputation in these matters.
You will, therefore pay due regard TO such
directions as you may receive from him.
considering them as coming immediately
from myself But that you also may have
Il general knowledge of what ] expect
from you. shall convey The following
view (Which have of the business COM
United TO your charse) as it appears to me,
and direct you to govern yourself by ii: as
| am persuaded nothing inconsistent
herewith will be ordered by Mr.. Lewis.
wi,hou. authority from me to depar, from
il.
lsi. Although ii is almos, needless to re-
mark that the corn ground at the farm you
overlook ought to be kept perfectly clean
aud well ploughcd-yet, because mol only
the goodness of the crop depends upon
such management, but also tic wheat crop
which is TO succeed il. canuot forbenr
urging tho ,propriciy and necessity Of The
measure III very strong terms.
I'd. The wheat Is to be rot into the barns
or into stacks as soon as il can he done
with any sort Of convenience. that il may
not Especially The bearded wheat. which
is subject to injury by wet weather. sus-
tain loss in sliocks-and because Tho shat
tered grain in the fields may be beneficial
To The stock; hu. no hogs are to be put OIL
s,ubblc fields in which grass seeds were
sown lasl fall, winter or spring other stock,
however, may be turned on them. as it is
roofing that would be prejudcial.
Sd. The whole swamp from the rtiad
from Manley's bridge up to The lane lead
ins 10 the new baru, is to be got into The
best and most complete order for sowing
grass seeds in August-or. nj farlhest. by
The middle Of September. The lowest and
wc,test part thereof is to be sown with
timothy seed alone. All the other paris
or i, are to be sown with timothy aud
clover seeds mixed. The swamp on The
other side of the aforesaid lane (now in
corr and uats) is to be kept in The hest pos
sibie order, ,ha, the par, not already sown
with grass-seeds, may receive them either
this anlumd (as soon as The corn can bo
taken of with safety or in the spring, as
circumstances shall dictate.
No exertion or paius arc to be spared q.
Dagueruu 10 get the wamp from Muulcy's
bridge up to the meadow above, and The
two enclosures in the mill swamp, in the
hirhcs, order for grass, to be sown in the
lime nnd manner above mentioned. But
| that no more may DO attempted than eau
be executed well, proceed in the following
order with them accordingly as The wca-
ther may happen TO be, for this mdst be
consulted, as dry weather will answer to
work in tho low parts best. whilst the
higher grounds may be worked a, any
time.
ls,. Begin with the swamp from Man
ley's bridge upwards, aud get all that is
not already in grass well prepared for il,
and indeed sown. Cd. That par, Of the
lower meadow on the mill run. which lies
between the old bed Of it and the race.
aud within the fences. Sd. After this is
done, take that part in tho enclosure above
(Which was in corn last yeur) lying be-
tween tho ditch aud fence of No. l. up
and down 10 the cross fence. 4,h. Then
go over the ditch aud prepare slipe afier
sipc as tho ditch vvas Grom ,be oso cross