Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-12-07
improvement. In Agriculture.

L Ht Cotutnlllee VI me OIate HRfiCultuldl Cooi-
ETY. on Honorary Testimonials presented an in
teresting report at Of the late sessions of the
Society in Richmond, which we find published at
length in the Wing. The Committee were charg-
ed with the duty of offering "Honorary Testmo-
mails" to each individual in Virginia, who, previ-
Gus to 1858, has discovered or introduced any i'm
pavement Of important value to the agricultural
interests of the State. They were unable to com
pete their iabors and asked to be continued next
year, we may expect paper of rare interest
as specimens of the facts ascertained by the Com
mttee, and also as indicating the nature and Oh,
jects of their investigation, we give the following
synopsis of part Of the report:
The late Gov Thomas Mann Randolph, OF
Abemarle. is entitled 70 the credit of introducing
the use of horizontal ploughing, as distinguished
from the old method of tracing the furrow direct
y up and down the ascent. Ryland Rhodes, of
Albemarle, introduced the hill side plough and
Thunderstorm Skipwith, of Mecklenburg, the hill
side bitches, subsequently, modified into the open
graduated furrow The method of breaking low
grounds in beds was first employed by Philip Tabb,
of Gloucester, near the beginning of the present
century. Commodore Jones, Of Fairfax, introduc-
ed the first subsoil plough into Virginia, in 1922
The Identical implement was on exhibition al the
Fair.
The Committee could not ascertain who first
substituted the Scythe and Cradle for the Reap
ing hook but John Murphy, Of Westmoreland,
is believed to have been the first 10 introduce
Threshing Machine into the Northern Neck
Without pretending to adjudge the question of
relative merit between him and his Maryland
competitor the Committee felt bound to comment
crate the world renowned Reaper of Cyrus H.
Mccormick, of ROckhrdge.
Fielding Lewis. of Charles City, was the pio-
neer in the State in the use of Lime on large
scale as an improyer of the soil and Edmond
Ruffiu Sr, now of Hanover, was the pioneer in
the use Of Mari and Green Sand. The agency
of Mari in renovating much of the soil of Eastern
Virginia has already added millions to the value
other real estate. Sometime during the last quar-
ter of the last century, Israel Janney, of Loudouu
brought into that county from Chester county,
Pennsylvania. small quantity Of Gypsum or
Plaster of Paris. The experiments with it were
highly successful, and the use Of it soon spread in
many parts Of the State. Commodore Porter first
introduced Guano into the United States, and the
first ton of that article was brought to Virginia by
Commodore Jones.
|, is believed that Israel Janney wasthe first
to SOW Red Clover in the Northern part of Vir-
ginia. about the year 1901 or lS02-though a
variety of the plant is said to be Indigenous in
some parts of the Valley and John G. Mosby, of
Curles, first made trial of it in the Underwater re-
gion. President Madison, while member of Con-
gress, sent from Philadelphia TO his farm in Orange
small parcel of Timothy Seed the increase was
eagerly sought by others, and from that point it
has spread into many other counties. A. b. Ven
able, of Prince Edward sometime United States
Senator from Virginia, likewise sent from Phia-
delphia, similar parcel of Red Top or Herds
Grass, and to that importation may be traced hun
dreds of meadows which have been laid down on
the South side of James River
The method of cutting down Indian Corn with
its stalk entire, to be shocked in the field, and
thus used as the food Of cattle, was first practised
by John Harness, of Hardy, about the year 1880
His example was soon followed throughout West
ern Virginia, and from thence the practice extend
ed to the grazing districts of the West. Owing
to its universal adoption it is believed that the
quantity of stock raised for market in that region
has been double of what it would have been, had
the top and blades been first taken from the stalk
and the corn dealt on. to them in the former method.
The Report is signed, on behalf Of the Commit
tee, by n f. Cabell, OF Nelson; the other mem-
bers are, Com. t. Ape. Jones, of Fairfax, Gen.
p H. Steenberger, of Mason, w. B. Harrison, Of
Prince George, B. j. Barbour, of Orange, and Fl.
NJ. Nelson, of Clarke. They solicit information
from all persons able to impart any, that they may
be able next year to present fuller and more sat
isfactory Report.