Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-11-01
AGRICULTURAL.


Ilis COMMITTEE on Farms, in presenting the rePor:
which follows, beg Leave to say, that in dscharging
The dntcs assigned Us, our nrngress has been greatly
impedro, by tue sick ness OF chairman, End the
frequent substitution of new for old members, who
were unwilling unable 10 attend the inspection re
quTed ny ibe terms of our appointment; Tint, conse
quently, (Our examinations having been terminated
nny on the eve of Saturday last,) we have been EN-
barrassed and retarded in drafting report by frequent
deliberations. and though anxious 10 do SO, find it ut
teily impossible to give in detail, the various and in
voved but essential circumstances and considerations,
which have influenced decsions-being conscious,
that whilst very guarded language would alone pre-
vent very erroneous c0Eclusionsthe rough G'a!t o'
report necessarily be- presented IL w"u!d be
an unwarranied suppression Of the truth, however,
pass II silence tie fact, that in awarding the
premiums offered by you upon the most highly I'M
proved, and beet cultivated farms, We have been greatly
influenced, by the rccecsd construction of the instuc
tons emariaiiDG from yOur E1tcutiUc COMMITTEE, Inc
object OF which proessedly ia 'o place the indusiri-
Gus small cuitvator, with limited resources and no
other labor than his own, upon he same footing as
the largest cul,iyaor with ample resources and
equally so, 10 withhold the fact, that lille think
advisable at the present uncture TO award your pre-
nums 10 those whose farms exhibited the grea est
evidences of industry. ard of improvement ,ch refer
snce 10 tie 'ciha HE rench IF farh for e5tcfing
chis object, perfectly conscious, that The system
OF husDandry which prevails some Of these iarms
is far from being satisfactory, essentially calculated
10 advance by example, agricultural improvement; be-
ing inferior perhaps 10 sore kept out OF competition
ty very views of The instruction above
frrr"d 10 Thrrc difference Of sentiment between
the Farm aad Executive Committee 10 the proprety
and importance 81 The principle embodied in the in
structions of The latter: think they 90 far enough
and good far as they CO. and dssen: IN degrce
only, from the action under lhcm. Reasoning from
the snme principles draw different concusions un-
Der circumstances dissmilar; but equally con-
WINGED, that if we can add "nne puet TO the pot OF
the smallest fsrmer, are increasing Tie gtntral
| abundance of physical blessings. But, whilst we
think that smalies; farmers claim and Of those Vi
sted by US many deserve, To be encouraged ny your
appreciation, we are, nevertheless, fully assured that
great industry in cultivation and IN improvement o!
SOIL without judgment skill to regnale it; Tor, as in
many eases which fall under our observation, great
industry directed by ncapaci,y and Inalten'ion, shall
he deemed worthy Of highest honors-improve
in husbandry will not only not be advanced, but
will be seriously lmpedet-ensuring error in practice,
and disappointment in results; and that, therefore, in
struc,nns which et,er, not By any want OF precision
and correctness in The language employed, and prn-
cipps asserted, by any want OF clear and eIplcit
knowledge and discrimination on the par. OF your
| Farming Committee, (who, nevertheless. feel bound
20 follow the construction of your late commiltee,)
but through the decided appreciation which The ms
! application of these instructions elected should not
coninuc,) since the circumstances that gave birth
tn them have b. en- changed materially by the acton
Of the Society, presenting materials Tor fair
competition hatween the smallest and largest pro-
pretors; or, if these instructions (Which, in truth,
fairly Interpreted make only suitable provision for
a principle of vital impnrance,) are TO be CON
tnued We think the Socety should, at least, guard
against any mischevous action under then without
checking the habits Of industry, economy and exer.
ton to he everywhere among Our brethren most re.
striced in their MEANS the avowed results OF your Ia
bors May we not add, the authority OF Mr. Young,
that "no farm WE'LL who cannot farm as seems
best TO him., This ne cannot do if he farms as much
rs possible, without regard 10 the means oil stocking
and cui,;va,ing properly variety of manuEss are
cheap in country generally. and IN the neigho"r-
hood Of towns especially oiiordng advantages rs
great to the poor man, # he will limit his area ly his
means as TO The man of "unlimed means" il, there
FIRE, high degree Of fertility, the result. OF eatfava-
CANT exien6nre-yielding inadequate present p"hl, ,
and destitute of the only security for lis perman'nce
and future returns-(a ndicous method OF husbandry)
deemed worthy Of encouragement or even meri'
torions vet may benefits most confidently be brought
in competition with the disadvantages Of practice,
which finds adequate profit tor its industry, III the
destruction of the land. A combination OF rent
sock-expense of cultivation and of improvement into
one sum, aud calculation OF immediate produce, and
fair estimate Of permanent improvement IN ano'her,
prcscLt data upon which premiums might be bestowed,
without prejudice TO the very smallest farmer, which
can be applied all alike; and If the profit upon small
capital should be greater than that resulting from the
employment of larger would detect the great error Of
employing the latter, bu, which finding the expenditure
upon small farm in these various modes, 10 be Slo
one he situation aud other local advantages being the
same) an expenditure nf 500 per acre, and profit oil
II per cent, would the need of merit to The
nreater expenditure. Yonr Committee has been thus
particular stating the above views because Questions
ofntercst to some your members, resulting from these
instructions, are likely 10 be renewed in connection
with awards.
The first ia rm we shall report upon, (takng them in
the order in which t:ey vlsi,ed0 is the farm oil
Thomas Ginnclt. This IS the farmer who received
nfb axtro ri.parv
under the name of JeaneR. We obs rived with plea
sur, that his increased attention TO raising and collect
ing manure has resulted in The accumulation, since
corn planting of a compact bank, 80 feet long by ~
wide and about A. deep-ndependent OF his we'll 1T
tered pens-being already more thon will afford
olerable dressing 10 his corn land which, with Ju
dcous Of lime to fix IT. cannot iai TO insure an IN
of crops for many years uXurlani as they now
are, without exception. Referring you 10 Inc re-
mort OF October last, which does no more than justice
to this small farmer we have only to add, that he is
entitled TO receive, lie wishes TO do, the tokens OF
your probation under bis real name winch, without
subscribing to the grare opinion OF an eminent pol'
m that 'There is much in name, he thinks, pro
mises TO outsrp good fortune and tnat which
YOU kindly conferred upon him. In assuming his true
name, however, he will not renounce those habits OF
economy and interchangeable industry by which the other
has been di,tingu shed.
Farm of .4n.kony Robinson, Jr.
ITO acrcs-of which so ore high land with red clay
original growth We informed by Mr. r that, II
wears ago when he purchased it, it had been greatly
exhausted by severe md njudicious cultivation, but
was then in pines about foot in diameter which yield
ed in market more than the original cost nf the land,
besides furnishing materials (wrth shell ime) for the
commencement Of that course Of improvement, which
has been since pcrsevered thinking Ills one of the
most productive and handsomest farms we have seen
The first crop was re turned under, ana n!owea ny
corn-whch crop has continued to improve. The build
ings are dwelling and kitchen Of BRICK with oil The
usual Offices, and servants houses, of wood, good and
sufficient barn and stables, besides two framed ana SHIN
of hny. The crop of corn OATS hay, fodder all good
the frs, being estimated by your committee at over
10 barrels per The cultivation of the crop arpa'
ren'ly very gooda the land intended for com IS ma
nured and The residue OF the manure IA good supply
of which in the well.litteed stables and peEs we par
tcuary notced applied in top dressing 10 the poor
est parts of the other fields Rotation, LIST corn End
onts Sd clover Labor, boys and men, one Of whom
hnFcnc III