Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-08-30
Agricultural
MIR. Burgwin,s Experiments.


Jackson, N. c., July 18TH 1850.
To the Editor Of the american Farmer
IR:-Allow me through the medium OF your val
liable periodical to correct two errors ofprint which
have crept into the publication of my remarks on
the g improvement of worn out lands" | am made
to say from experience in the use of both, think
peas not inferior to cloUer as specific manure for
wheat" 1t should be-" but little inferior to clover y
&C. The long, rich tap root of clover by its decay
affords food for wheat which part ofthe pea can
penetrating the earth deeper, and in decayng, leaves
a vegetable deposite to greater depth, affording
what Col Fremont would call cache or hidden
magazine of provision for future plants.
On the next page, it reads" For three wears
have never fed my working horses grain fodder
from the middle of May till the clover fails " it should
| be" but once a day. | always feed once day on
homtny (prefering it much to uncracked corn turn
my horses into the clover fields after their days work.
and they again put to work the next morning,
with nc other attention than Watering having been
curried at midday instead of at night is done du
ring the shorter days of fall and winter. Nature, by
the production of vegetable food for the lower animals
in the spring. thereby indicates change from the
stronger and heating diet of grain to be proper
for them who has not observed our cattle, turning
from the dry food of the winter to feed on the
grass which is yet not so strengthening? 1t is very
true they must not be allowed to feed exclusively on
this if so they suffer from disordered bowels work
horses particularly must not be too much exposed
this temptation We see entirely analogous case
in ourselves. Nature produces for US great varie
ty of vegetables in the spring, appettes
eagerly to enjoy these in consequence blood be-
comes thinned, systems purged from the grosser
inices that circulate during the winter, and
better prepared for the heats of summer Since wri-
ting the piece referred to, have added the expert
ence of another summer to this plan. and though in
consequence of the freshet in May had to replant
200 acres of corn, and to add to my corn crop 230
acres of destroyed wheat all of which was fall
lowed with three horse ploughs running to 10 inch
es Deep my team of 10 three horse ploughs were
abed by this plan of feeding to stand the increased
tax upon their endurance, with the exception of a
| few of the weaker animals. Thus | more than
ever satisfied with the plan. 1t is true my teams
strong, but he who keeps inferior animals his
estate, acts unwisely.
| While am writing, let me give my testimony as
to the capabv of our region of country for raising
the finer grasses have been seeding the following
grasses for several years. and have failed when
sown good SOIL and that put in good order, to OBJ
tain and retain good stand, yiz:-clover, timothy
herds-grass Kentucky blue grass. When proper at
tention is not paid to the selection of suitable SOIL
&C., &c, as in every thing else, failure or only
partial success in the result My experience proves
to me, that the month of September, or early in Oc
tober is the best time to grassseed in our clt
mate If sown with wheat, and on rich land, it may,
by its luxuriance, affect the product of the wheat
and clog the reaping machines, but your stand of
grass is more sure. The result of my this years
experiment, may be interesting to you and, perhaps
FORE shortly state it, Having about $50 acres of my
wheat, this year, sown upon last years corn land
and the land being rather light, and not too rich,
feared lest should fail with my grass sown on this
wheat, because of the two successive cereal crops
therefore bought guano, mixed it with its bulk of
plaster, then added fine charcoal the same, and to
this mixture double the whole bulk ofdeposite ofthe
Roanoke river rich alluvial earth, and sowed the
whole broadcast in February and March, and har
rowed it in. on top of the wheat. | sowed at the
! ~ TO of his nj To no
this, no doubt doubled by the mixture with the
absorbents of the ammonia as extremely
full in the manipulation to cover the guano with
several inches of the plaster &C., to prevent the es
cape of the ammonia, when left for few hours
it is exceedingly vioave and easily dissipated by
| the March winds. On this wheat land. had sown
in October previous, clover, timothy, Kentucky blue
grass, and Italian ray grass. My harvest has been
over, it is now three weeks, and have never had
finer stand of all these even on our rich bottoms
The ray grass matured its seed rather sooner than
the wheat. was two-thirds as tall, and were rery
lckhy sO1rn, materially injured the product of the
wheat have reaped an increased product from
my wheat, amply sufficient to repay my outlay for
| the guanO, plaster, &c, and have my grass as my
profit on the Investment; this in turn will shade and
improve my land, fatten my stock increase nv crops
and cheer my eye with grassy slopes, in place of
CALLED hill sides :" this is profit sufficient for the
most greedy If turned to proper account be it
remembered, too, this was light and rather poor
soil, but based on good clay sub-soil. send you
grown, however, the low grounds that You may
judge in some measure for yoursef-with it is a
stalk of grass for which find no name about
here it would to be very valuable-stock eat it
with avdity: can you or any of your friends tell
what it is *
l write con amore" on this subject. If | have
been too prox. curtail you think proper but
tify the errors of print refer to. have not time
to copy. Very respectfully, yours, &c,
| H. K. BURGwYN.
*We believe it to be the Alopccis ss-the mead
ow foxta- which is esteemed in England
the best for hay and meadow
The specimen of timothy sent indeed of most lux
uriant growth measuring fully feet long
head An of such grass thickly se would yield
tons of hay.
! Although believe the alluded to by Mr. B. were
not but caused by copying from another
we glad they occurred it has been the of
being favored with detail of the very interesting expert
ments which accompany the correction.
/ ENREsH Arrivals per sehr. r.. w. Brown.
l. 10 bags of best Laguira Coffee;
/ 2 bls. of No. Mackeral;
II kits &C &c '' best;
bbls. of that fine syrup;
10 of best Genesee Flour, fresh. Low for cash,