Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-30
RICULTU RAJ.


on that occasion, and also to attribute 10
,ac some statements which | did not make.
In the confusion ofconvcrsalion, am not
surprised that such mistakes should have
occurred. But as some of these statements
may mslcad others, and some even do in
Justice 10 an individual, and produce an err
roneous impression as 10 a very useful ma
chine, / have thought it necessary TO ask
their correction.
The general result Of my remarks as re-
ported, in reference to Sinclar's Wheat
Drilling Machine, is very uniavourablc,
and farmers might well be deferred from
using this machine, if they had confidence
ia these statements. The truth is, my opin-
ion is favorable to the machine purchas
cd it last Fall land put in most ofmy wheat
with it, giving at the same time, much of
my own attention 10 the working fit. In
clean land, well prepared, the work was
beautiful This is true of fallow, as well
as corn land. The wheat now speaks for
itself, and is certainly more uniform than
l,avc ever had it before. incline to think
It is also more vigorous on account of the
protection afforded against the winds of
Winter, by the ridges thrown up by the
drill
The advantages ofthedrill arc, uniformi
ty in the sowing of the wheat, and, also,
in the depth at which it is deposited
There is also the further advantage lust
referred TO, in the protection Of the ridges
AT the same time it is necessary to say,
there is not that perfect uniformity | had
anticipated Where the land is foul the
- tnesare constantly collecting on their points
little punches of grass, which receive the
wheat and leave II in little heaps instead oil
being diiinsed along the drill. Again ii
sometimes happens that the wheat press
ed in some OF the chambers and becomes
so compact, ESPECIALLY if ii is at all damp
that it docs not fall out on the revolution
ofthc wheel. These are the drawbacks
and the same. lbelieve, pertain TO all wheat
drilling machines. Yet, in spite Of these
objections | shall continue the use Of the
drill, and | shouldbc very unwilling TO be
without it. In foul land, shall hereafter
raise the tines and scatter the wheat with
out dfillingit.
i should be very sorry if any one were
prevented from Inning his land by any re-
ported statement of mine. believe in the
Underwater section Of Virginia, ii is the ha
bis Of all Improvement, the cornerstone of
every system of successful farming The
want Of sufficient lime, seems the radical
defect of our soils. Althe manure of earth
would not make them rich, unless it con
tanned lime. Fortunately all our stable
manure. iarm-pen manure, ashes, guano,
and indeed all the fertilizers that | know
OF, do contain lime but unfortunately not
asuIlicicncy to supply the wants Of our
soil. have been using 1t thirteen or four
teen years. ! generally apply it in the
Spring to my cortland aftcrit is ploughed
up. Usually, SEQ bot little effect of ii
on the first crop Of corn. The larger the
amour, of vegetable matter in the soil, the
greater the effect perccp,iblc. On the
whea, crop, there is more Improvement
And in the next rotation, the results are
more striking. But the great important
consequence OF lime, is to enable the farm.
or to make clover on our lands. That Sc
cured, fertile soil is within his reach.
/ have now before me abeautful exam
pie ofthc effect ofboth lime and guano-
Three years ago, applied fifty bushels OF
lime per acre, TO field Of corn in. the
Spring. In the Fall, gave TO two acres
Of that land, two hundred pounds of Pata-
gouian guano per acre, and put the whole
OF the field in wheat. In the Spring fol-
lowing, sowcd clover on the part which
had been guanoed, and some portion OF the
adjacent land. The wheat looked much
better during the winter and early Spring