Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-04-07
0RICULTURAL.
From The Southern Planter.
Farmers, State Club.

DraxtOn, Ifesluent, IN the chhlf:
Subject for discussion, Caltiration Q,
Wheat.
Upon questions propounded by the Pres
ident, Col. Wright of Loudon, said that
in his county the time to commence sowing
is from the goth to 25th of September; clo-
yer ley is preferred to naked fallow do
notre-fallow; commence harvesting so soon
as the grain is in the tough or dough state
and before it becomes hard.
BY j. Il. Edmunds, Esq, of Halifax
DO you tie up in bundles large or small
shocks
Col. w. Its tied up in shcavcs and a
bout fourteen to shock, which yields about
bushel Ii is usually hauled to the barn
TO be threshcd
Col. Tomln, of King William. The size
OF our shocks is such as to average about
81 bushels each.
The President. Do you use the rcapcrl
- Col. w. Some farmers do; six horses
are generally employed; three at a time, so
astoschange their gait fast walk. Az
cragc work about eight acres per day.
5. Col. Tonlin. How many hands rcquir-
cdl
Col. w. A driver, one TO let it off the
platform, five to bind, two boys and one
man 10 shock. These will not be sufficient
IN rank wheat; more than FIVE hands re-
quired where the crop is fifteen bushels to
the acre, or more.
The President Docs itcut wheat clean2
Col. w. Generally it does bat not if
the straw be damp.
President. Docs the blue grass inter
fcre with your following
Col w. There is n blue grass which
is serious obstacle to ALLOWING do not
think it would answer TO drill in wheat
whcrcsuch grass exists. But this is entire
ly different from the Kentucky blue grass,
which is valuable.
Col. Tomhn. Have you any wire grassl
Mr.. Carter, OF Loudon. There is no such
thing amongst us.
Col. Wright. Shecp-sorrclis the worst
thing we have 10 contend with; injuries
the corn crop by growing around the corn
HILL
Col Tomlin. Do you hoe corn?
Col. Wright. No; never
Mr.. Carter thought it not advisablcto dis
pcnse with the use of the hoe; hoe labor is
paid for according to his experience of Lou
don farming.
Mr.. Edmunds had never seen but one
man who did not hoe corn regarded it
as an Indispensable operation in the till
age.
: Col. Tomlin. How far apart do you
plant corn
Col. w. Three and half feet, and
two stalks to the hill 1t does not "fre"
thus planted. Usually cultivated on a
level.
The FIVE field system is more generally
practiscd in Loudon, taking off one crop of
corn and two of wheat. Average crop Of
wheat ten to twelve bushels per acre
Mole ofputting inis FIRST to plough, then to
harrow, then SOW and cross harrow Have
sowed broadcast, and have drilled; see no
difference in the yield.
Col. Tomlin. Do you broadcast or plough
your land in beds
Col. w. Broadcast; no necessity for beds
with us.
The President. Docs the drill facilitate
your operations
Col. w. Yes. One hand and two horses
will sow eight acres per day a saving in
the quantity Of seed and one horse and seed
man.
Col. Tomlin would regard five acres as
good days work. How long does it take
one hand and twohorscs to prepare an &C re
for seeding
Col. w. About a day. The harrow
used is large and heavy.
Mr.. Carter. There is material differ
cnce between narrowing after the plough
and Narrowing IN the grain, which should
be taken into the estimate.
Col L. Do you lap in secdingl
Col w. We do not where we cross har-
row.
The President inquired as to the differ
ence in the time of seeding different varie-
ties OF wheat
Col. w. The goth to 25th of Septem-
Der is the usual time for commencing; with
the Mediterranean and earlier varieties
some commence as early as the Sth. We
commence following from 25th July To
goth August--immediatel after securing
our hay. Use the large three-horse coulter
plough; some use the left handed plough.
MIR. Edmunds On which side of the
furrow do the horses walk
Col. w. On the land not ploughed.
Col. Tomlin. Width Of your furrow!
Mr.. Carter. About ten inches.
MIR. Boulware, of King & Queen.
never saw lcit hand plough. Ours are al
right hand.
Col. w. A. farmer once came to M,
region of country who had never seen a LEI
hand plough, and was persuaded 10 tax,
one. He now refuses to use any other.
The President, presume you have N,
single-horsc left hand ploughs.
Col w, None single.
President. What time do you thresh
Col w. Immediately after we hav,
finished sceding-in October usually
We are not intcricrrcd with by the wee
vii,
President. Weight of yourwhcatl
Col. W. Ranges from 6iiy-two to sixty
four pounds.
Mr.. Carter Fifty-eight is mcrchan,able
President. The same here.
Col. w. When the wheat is dry, viii
six to nine horses we thresh two hundred
to two hundred and fifty bushels per day
general average two hundred; fourteen
hands required TO serve the machine; thil
includes the first tanning.
Col. w. Do you put away claff ant
stuck your straw.
Col. w. Yes the straw is carried Of
q thc drum BY wire sciyc about foul