Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1851-10-28
VIRGINIA WORN.OUT LAND.

! ;Aadlrurecd A. P. HILL, Chm.
RUEr. ALEXANDER Scc'y
---.IssI--
VIRGINIA WORN-OUT LAND.
Inc american Farmer Contains the following commune
!c"'oh from "ioushby Newton Esq, detailing his i'm
prov =tieni OF farm in Eastern Virginia, which
W command Intense interest His should not only
snoae the young of The good old commonwealth,
remain % al nome and improve their pamonial estates but
shnuli attract capitalists from abroad II be- obvious
Una. mere is no land in our country more susceptible of in
P"'c'Hen-hone Offering greater Inducements TO Invest
ines me iacts stated of peculiar value Just this
ilc ana IN" thanks OF the farmer due Dir. Newton
ioF furnishing The statement, which is made.
LiSDES, NEsTNoRELAND County. Va.
To tie Editor Of Tie imsricqn Farmer:
o-nny finished ;hrshng the crop of wheat Of this fnrn
anu IN cuinpllnce with my PROMISE proceed give the
"i Inc lan' contains three hundred and eighty acres,
k'op ana was purchased about fifteen years aao 81
acre price then deemed high for forest land" In hope
ul spirit Which like 10 encourage in myself as vel. ss in
''H"fs, 5 mol only conducive to SUCCESS but essential
tiappe-- veGfG!ao ID vi il, in address delivered
N c;i1oeT last, before he Agricultural Society Of Maryland
tha "i'"le cost 4" the farm was $3.50 and have good
fcs IN t" expect with favorable .on from ,a crop now
sn"n and dressed win glno bushel of wh.a, for every
dtnr OF the prime cost q" the farm" This 10 GJu5i
drcsd hy miny, cx,ravseant ox1ec;aon and VAS
rr"Dan? 81. down 10 the credit over satgune temper
me ncra result however, has far transcribed even nv
'c y!eia G"ins 2y'V from o2 bushels Seed
- ioE one Throughout, the entire crop Fory.s bushels
were so'Sed on clover faow, yielded 1880 or about
!o one. mere were two varieties of wheat and Ruins
early purple straw. The blue sowc on the fow
ao Tie better part o the nd aud produced from SO
bushels OF seed ZOOS bushels The early purple straw sowed
%: poor corn land, nciter lined otherwise improved
an by the single dressing OF guano and from % Of seed
yielded U2 bushels. The whole expenditure for this crop in
guano about $780, and applied both aiov and
crt land in proportion supposed strength of from 1O
to 2lU los 10 Inc acre.
Ii viii be thus seen, that have derived from this single
crop not only bushcl Of wheat for every dollar the
prime cost 0! the farm, but have also the returned
and l45 bushels 10 reimburse the money expended in the
Suai', = say nothing OF that large quantity Of straw and the
greatly improved condition of the land. Besides the profit
derived from The wheat the farm furnishes an abundance OF
mE and butter fruit vegetables and fuel for very large
'n'y ard will produce this year, about 1000 bushels
w every prospect of great annual increase the future
lease you TO calculate the profit OF an investment
have heard OF larger yields from small lots dressed with
GulnD this year land similar to mine but am nor aware
vi any instance where much hundred bushels
so"''i any farm Of like quantity where the Weld
has hsen great therefore infer that although there may
DC no peculiar merit IN EIy mode OF applying guano
no" be very detective, and is subject of great import
ancc about which there is considerable diversity Of opinion
tax :s occasion 10 my practice The glano after
oe!@ site and reduced 10 proper nencss is carried The
!ed in bngs in the dry state empty barrels placed
convenient distances for the suwe each bls emp
ed III" oirte and mixed with water until wet enough
10 BE- sowcd without blowing away. Ii usually takes com
mon hucketfu bag. This s the only addition 10 tie
guano and the used for the convenience of The SOW.
eT without any reference any virtue be derived from The
MIXTURE though probably in cry that may BE-
ded with benefit The guano sowed evenly possible
on The surface of rough co~; and its equal dis
tbnlon tthe land having been previously laid oil
at III feet dlstancc) il is snwed twice el:v .r.
10" heuiaeiy i'ows which partially ir;enixes the gu
mo with the surface SOIL and prepares the lid receive
The seed, which is then sowed ani pu, with cnron
''c-torn cntivator followed by heavy harrows whcn fin
1911 c operation. Tie gtlunG thus thoroughly ncurpur-
iiGn With The sol and neither remains upon The
on!ict too deep. Experience and observation have Taught
that all should applied on the snrE.ce
and u lnc excepting auano as near
ace as may be consistently with their thorough Inco.poa
:iun with the so My counyman Mr.. L. Washington far.
c: ni great intelligence and observations informed that
crmtince with the usual prescription he buried gua1o
few years ago, deeply with the plough for wheat Tie
crop was not muca benefited Ecxt year. when
the l was prepared or corn large part of the guano
iuaed mp entirely unchanged On land nv practice
been either 10 turn both wheat and gulno together
~!l'i light urro", TO put in the guano first with lish,
Jow and To cover the whea; with harrow. have
a iaircrs tic lfln convenience ana saving Of
iiiie Should Toe regarded.
have been familiar with this farm from my childhood
:'s read' :e ani have no recollection Of iis n:-
l3g Produced much tweny.iiv bushels oi wheat in
lay one ycl unu commenced improving it. purchased
merely hcnlihy site for residence, without the
test r vi ever deriving profit in money from it, For six
r2ht did not deem any OF it cnpac Of pro-
iucing wheat, and sJwcd. Inc progress of the
wheat crop year, has been v:y remarkable.
The first crop Sawed total failures worth tlreshins
and used litter for stables The 2d Welded Sc bushels
the Sd by the of OF African Guano ana
lime and ashes yielded 220 bushes the ith from expen
iturc o hundred dollars in African Guano {, very in
rip articl produced 800 bushels the 5h from ezpen
diture OF $500 in very pnor Patagonian Guano produced
SO bushels the 6th expenditure OF $780, partly in
Peruvian and partly in Patagoian Guano yielded 1859
osAcs; th and last from s40J expended in Peruvian
6uano produced the crop stated in the st part OF this
During this PERIOD nearly ul the arrab!c land has been
mcd the of 25 50 bushels acre, and the
oIaon changed rapidly circumstances would permit
the old three shift system the five field alow system
of the Pamunkcy The land has improved possible,
aplly than the crops and have doubt, will with Judi
cious management and small annual expenditure in
90 produce increased crops grain and grass
Gpsi the ultimate point OF production Of the most fertile
soils Is reached.
In this improvement, every dollar expended has been
funded with profit in the crops of each year. and the farm is
certainly ntr!nsicay wort now, than ten times lis
cost.
These results surely encouraging and should urge
especially the Yol1G Eastern virgil
aia devote their improvement; Of the SOIL
the road 10 competence not TO fortune Un.or-
iGatey, have not among capital and labor sufficient
the l Development of Of the county,
Mach Of the land must Of necessity, remain unimprovrd
young will all remain at home, dc.
vs population and capital from other quarters cannot
.icvc that c,uatr! possessing all the advantages of this
ui.mly favored region remain mach longer shut
general observation, and predict as s carly destiny
universal Improvement.
I;ui must !ornc.r. commenced give you few facts
.nI find myself indulgng in essay. With my best
wishes oI your the noble enterprise in which
axe engaged, remain very truly yours.
WILLOUGHGY NEWTON. |