Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1850-05-06
AGRICULTURAL.


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From the Tenth Legion.
TO Farmers and Others.
Mn. GArEwooD Having few leisure nc
meuts and DESTROYS OF making myself as usetr
10 nv fellow men as possible, by communlca
ting The practical knowledge which have gain
ed from my own experience and observation
durinq nv residence in the country OF my adop
tion | have thought that few hints upon tn
suhiects in which our farmers are particularly
interested, might be acceptable.
What a wonderful change, Mr.. Editor ha!
marked the face of things in our beautiful Valley
within the recollection even Of our oldest in
habitants Within the brief period OF thirty
wears. thousands of acres ofland have been con
verified from forest wilderness into fertile heids
teeming with the rich fruits OF the farmer tolls
And here, we cannot but pause and bring to
mind the habits and customs OF our hardy and
old.fashioned fathers There were but few oil
those splendid and comfortable brick houses
which now greet the eye in every direction
The inhabitants were mainly content to live in
humble log dwellings, with plank or tha.ched
roofs, mud chimneys, and fire places some eight
or ten feet wide In the capacious fire-paces
were piled heaps of logs, and around the blazing
fire the happy families sat during the cold win
Ter evening, enjoying the substantial but rude
comforts of life. The article OF rood, which is
now so valuable, was not only consumed by the
cord in the houses, but was piled ur and burned
to get it out of the way. There were good
fences every where, and the most extensive ram
re. in the woods for the cattle of the farmers
But now it not so the population has multi
piled rapidly every year, until there IS out little
land, of any value, that is not now occupied and
cultivated timber has become comparatively
scarce. and indeed, it is with no little difficulty
that many of our farmers are enabled to keep
their cultivated land under good fencing; and
the great fire-places have nearly all been pulled
down and stoves substituted in their places !;
c,oking stoves, too, are found in almost every
Kitchen in the land. These stoves have been
introduced, not because they are deemed more
healthy and comfortable, than fire-places, but
because they economist Uood. These facts
show that this valuable and indispensable arti-
Gle is becoming scarcer every year and IN the
course of a few more years, will have to give
place to coal, not only among blacksmiths but
for the ordinary purposes OF warming houses,
cooking and SO on.
In view Of these facts, which I presume no
intelligent man will gainsay, it is a subject OF IN
terestinc inquiry. How are we to meet the @
mergency of the case! Some mode of preserv-
ing and raising timber must be adopted, if our
people would provide for the future. In many
countries of Europe, where the density OF popu-
laton and the character of the soil are such as to
render it impossible to have large bodies OF tim
Der, the country at large is thrown open, and on
" enough land is enclosed to secure stock OF
every description and prevent them from depre-
dating upon the farmers. But in our country,
there is no necessity, at this day OF pursuing TINS
course. From what have seen and experienced
in this country, as farmer, am convinced
Al. "a IL, tho MT 0f at
our agricultursts, if hey would pay more partic-
MAR attention to the raising of such timber as is
most useful for fencing purposes, making shingles
for covering houses, &c. For instance 1t would
be very little expense for our farmers TO stock
their lands with young locust trees, which Is
now one Of the most useful and durable kinds OF
timber we have, and which can be raised any
where by proper attention. They may be plan
ted along the roads, in fence-corners, and a
round buildings. Thrifty young oaks OF d'ffe-
rent kinds might also be raised in the same way.
These would be valuable, particularly for posts.
Again Would it not be advisable to devoted
little land to the cultivation of timber for rails!
The question is, What description OF timber
would come to maturity quickest ?-how ought
j, to be planted! In my opinion, for quickness
of growth, and durability, the ehssnM is lar
preferable and least expensive than any other
tree we have. There would not be much trou-
bic in getting few hundred young chestnut
sprouts from the mountain, and planting them
upon such land as can be best spared and care
should be taken not to bruse the bark and ent
the roots too short for the young tree is very
tender, and the growth would be much promo
ted by having the roots as long as possible
These trees might be planted i'll an old held, al
ter blowing it, about ten feet apart each way,
and in the course Of six or ten years, they would
be large enough for use ;-and alter cutting
down the first growth, numerous young sprouts
will shoot up around the stump, several OF which
may be left standing, which must be Judged OF
according to the strength of the soil and the a.
mount of shade they make. 1t must be evident
TO every thinking man, that by devoting ten or
twelve acres Of land to the raising OF chestnut
trees, in a few years, most enough timber could
be raised 10 enclose and keep under good fencing
all the tilla5le land on any farm in the country.
As to the best time of planting tqese trees, any
time during early spring would doubtless an.
swef; but during the warm summer, they ould
die out. 1t may be proper here to- say, that
where young chestnut sprouts cannot be procured
chesnus may be planted, say the first Of March,
at convenient distances, say from four to six feet
apart; aud when they are about year old, the
sprout might be cut off, and numerous shoots
would sprout up, which could be thinned as be-
fore named.
Itmay be possible that, in some locations it
NAV be impracticabe to raise chestnut groves In
such cases, if any other kind will answer the
purpose better, the good sense of the farmer will
leach him to make the proper substitute.
Again :--How many Of our farmers have IT IN
their power, from the great quantity of material,
10 make fences around their farms, more conve-
nient and more durable than the best timber =
I refer to stone fences. Along the public roads,
even now, may be seen miles OF stone fences.
If the outer, or enclosing fences, were generally
constructed of stone those that are necessary to
divide farm into fields Of convenient size,
could be made of rails.
These suggestions, Mr.. Editor, I have made,
not because think myself more competent to
devise plans than any one else, but simply to a,
waken spirit of inquiry among our people,
am farmer, and feel the importance OF adopting