Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-11-27
AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND PRACTICE
TO THE EDITORS.

was either boached received by the New York Farmers
Club as nec theory; for would not be easy designate
any question IN agriculture which has been longer
mooted than--Does manure rise or sink
The late j. NJ GARNErr of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. memory de-
serves monument, honored in this republican
country for vuous and useful aconshad recourse to
fu experiments to satisfy himself this very point and took
the rising side of the question Doctor STEVENS Of New
iork' some time SINCE read interesting paper founded
ms own observations, to that the ferzng properties
OF manure rose by capillary attraction but did not offer as
new discovery II would little surprise u.s. were we
to carry back our inquiries for ages, how little in fact
there IS leW in the processes of agriculture What really
characzes the present age is the discovery so much
that is 10 practice, but in the application Of the prnci
pies OF mechanical philosophy to economical
ton OF implements and yet more, and, possible, i'm
portant in the application Of chemical discoveries art
of cultivation 1t is much that develop facts
but that science lends her aid to interpret what
and inexpcable in the contemplation Of such
known. 1t is this which has made clear what before was
dark and unnteligbe enabling the enlightened farmer
adapt his with confidence and certainty the
anment of his ends; thus exalng the business Of grcu
ure from being work of blind chance the dignity of
intellectual profession. Men follow with pleasure
well profit any pursuit. when of its practice they under
stand the chy and the wherefore, and thus enabled
control and anticipate results 1t is in this light and TO this
end that the FARMEs LIBRARY aborng elevate the
profession Of the plough
In illustration Of what has been said about the antiquity of
many things which apt regard new, will take
for example, the rale Of deep pughing and the eary cut
ting of grain.
All that has lately been written about subsoa poughng,
for which many and such ingenious implements have been
contrived but revival or, most extension, of what
inculcaed knows how far back On this subject
| IL.
impression, and led to practical reform at the time in Mary
land and Virginia. written torty-Gve fifty years ago,
by very plain but very remarkable man. Thomas Moons,
of the Society of Friends in Montgomery county, Ma
yland Mr. Jefferson, of his plain practical sense
and good Judgment fond Of having him at the White
House, and he afterwards think, appointed President
of the Board Of Public Works in Virginia
The pamphlet, well | remember entitled
The Great Error of American Agriculture Exposed !" and
did expose unsparngy, the folly Of the general prac
ce of shallow poughng 1t is among the first OF the
paper agricultural articles and pamphlets that my
father making read to him o nights, returning, little
shaver, from The country school II struck the time
young was, q great discovery marked advance in
agricultural economy and the first lesson that hit
perceive that mind and nigh be exercised upon farming
well the Of tanning leather and dling whiskey
1t supposed TO be and original, many things
now that as I" old the hills
was just running my eye the pages of very
markabe and very old work agriculture of which had
heard until lately When in Baltimore it present.
ed by the of old Calvert county playfellow
schoomate and FRIEND Joseph Wilkinson Reynolds honest
a as the shone on, entitled " The Modern
Husbandman, the Practice Of Farming, by William
Ellis Farmer of Little Gaddesaen Hampstead, in
Hrttordshre !" printed in MDCCXLTv This ancient and
very quaint and curious work consists of less than eight
4
that it does Of To return then, deep Rloughg
and early cutting Of toheai, thus the Farmer Of Lit
tie Gaddesden" than a hundred years ago
Hoc person got poor, and forced 10 sell his and
for want Of poughng deep enoughrhe man lived at High
Green, in Hertodshe and kept horses in all for
poughng the little land he Of These being not
able draw the plough deep enough eSate the roots Of
weeds and TO give the earth fine loose bottom for the roots
OF the to enter easily his ground seldom returned above half
crops which impoverished him that he forced TO sell
Of his land. Accordingly he sold field of eight acres,
which, after the buyer had ploughed with strong team Of
horses and made the share OF the two-whec l6w plough
deep into the ground turned up such fresh parcel of
earth that he had forty bushels Of wheat from oil one acethe
very first crop SO that when the whole was sold the sum
amounted to near the value Of the LAND These are PLAN IN
stances Of the great advantages attending the true knowledge
Of ploughing ground in right manner"
On early redping ,chedf the same old author remarks
Reapng wheat early gives the Pirks and Lamds sorts
bright golden color which is so agreeable wheat buyer
that he will give more for such than if stood m iui npe be-
IT will weigh heavier and yield better -four But when
il stands too long becomes grayh red aud It's -four will be
deadish unpleasant, and lighter. farmer reaped almost
greensh, and early that many told him he would suer by
il but he said he bad wheat nor any that
sold better at market The same experienced last year. in
l74l, when my chief reaper told it not ripe enough
to cut but it happened, there not brighter, finer
sack Of wheat brought Hampstead. Indeed had II been
eaped greenh the kernel would be apt shrink, be CUTLERY
and more must go Gil the bushc yet it this Is not done
in too great extreme, it better than when stands till
il is too ripe, for then the kernels viii lose their bright color,
get thick skin and bash ends he very apt TO she'd at
ing binding, and carrying, and wheat is to be the
same spot of ground such shed kernels viii be very apt 10 be-
get smuy Accordingly, il is our general method in
Herfordshirc TO begin cutting before wheat is full ripe.
Now, these facts, published than century ago.
supported by experience AMI observation at this day yet the
question is kept opcn and the practice differs cutting
wheat wheit is yet apparently immature, and when the milk is
Just fairly dy in it, or leaving to get dead ripe The evil
dence greatly preponlcracs IN favor Of the former the
grounds and for the reasons this old and evidently experienced
and understanding writer alleges But when wheat cut
thus early it must be gathered up at once keep from
Shrinking as il will do il exposed il is laid by reaper.
But since the days Of Mr. Ellis, not satisfied with
the mere ascerainmen facts The spirit OF philosophy and
scientific investigation will not be content while any thing
mains 10 be discovered and let show accordingly, what
book knowledge much deridcd further dscocs this
subject As 10 tic effect Of the CUTTING quantity