Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-01-23
PLAQUEMINE:
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY %, 1850.
From the Cheraw Is. C.) Gazette.1
Letter from GeM'l
WashimgfO1a.

Washington.
We are indebted to the kindness of an old
friend for the following valuable document
valuable not only because Of the revered
source from which it emanates, but because
it affords many excellent lessons from anoble
and practical farmer. It's, too, strongly cha
racteristic Of the American hero. We see here
the exercise in private life of the attention to
DETAIL that inf1exible devotion to order and dis
cipline, which so eminently marked the public
character of Washington. No one can read
this letter without seeing at once that the writer
was an Industrious, sound, practical farmer
He whose indomitable energy had given free
dom to a world did not esteem the most minute
details of agriculture unworthy his attention.
. It will probably surprise the reader to find
Gen. Washington insisting upon the use of
horrows and cultivators in the culture of his
corn. This we have been accustomed to plume
ourselves upon as much more modern inven-
ton. S.
The letter, directed to his overseers, is ta-
ken from the manuscript copy in Washingtcn's
own handwriting, and, as we are informed, now
appeor in print for the first time.
PHILADELPHIA, July IA, 1893.
Gentlemen: 1t being indispensably neces-
sary that should have some person at Mount
Vernon through whom l can communicate my
orders, who will see that those orders are ex-
ecuted, or, if not obeyed, who inform me why
they are not; who will receive the weekly re-
ports, and trasmit them: receive money and pay
it; and in general to do those things which do
not appertain to any individual overseer, have
sent my nephew, Mr.. Howell Lewis, (wh0 lives
with me here,) to attend to them until can pro-i
vide manager of established reputation in
these matters You will, therefore, pay due
regard to such directions as you may receive
from him, considering them az coming imme-
diately from myself But that you may have
a general knowledge of what l expect from
you, 1 shall convey the following views which
have of the business committed to your charge
as it appears to me, and direct you to govern
yourself by it, as am persuaded nothing in
consistent herewith will be ordered by Mr..
Lewis withoSt authority from me to depart from
it. 's - =5f-
1st. Although it is almost needless to remark
that thecorn ground at the farm you overlook
ought to be kept clean and well ploughed, vet,
because not only the goodness Of that crop de-
pends upon such management, but also the
wheat crop which is to succeed it, cannot for
bear urging the propriety and necessity of the
I'd. The wheat is to be got into the barns or
into stacks as soon as it can be done with any
sort of convenience, thatit may not Especially
wheat, which is subject to injury By bad wes-
ther) sustain loss in shocks; and because the
shattered grain in fields may be beneficial to the
stock; butno hogs are to be put on stubble-
fields in which grass seeds were sown last fall,
winter, or spring; other stock, however, may be
<,rvn 10 fbsaks1 to
prejudical. ,93 s 2
3d. The whole swamp, from the road from
Manley's bridge up to the lane leadingto the
new barn, ID to be got into the best and most
complete order for sowing. grass seeds in An
gust, ,.of,a ct the furthest, BY the middle Of Sep
tembet. The lowest and wettest part thereof
is to be sown with timothy seed alone. All
the other parts ofit are to be sown with timothy
and clover seeds mixed. The swamp on the
other side Of the Aforesaid lane1 now. in corn
and oats) is to be kept in the best possible OF
der, that the part not already sown with grass
seeds may receive them either this autumn Gas
soon rs the corn can be taken off with safety
o. in the spring. y circumstances shall die
tate
No exertions OF pains are to be spared at
Dague run to get the swamp from Manley's
bridge up to the meadow above, and the two
enclosures in the mill swamp, in the highest
order for grass, to be sown in the time &c. a.
shove mentioned; but, that no more may be at
tempted than can be executed well, proceed in
The following order with them, accordingly aA
Ehe weather may happen to be; for this must be
as dry weather will answer to work
n the lowp parts best, whilst the higher grounds
may be worked at any time.
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