The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1862-02-01
Correspondence of The Cecil Whigl
LETTER FROM FOURTH DISTRICT

BIG ELK, Jan. 2Sth, 1862.
Mr.. EDITOR In yonr last issue YOU
invite the friends of The Wing to send YOU
any matters of interest occurring in their
midst. The suggestion is a good one, and
may be the means Of making your popular
paper Il medium OF communication for far
mcrs and business men who otherwise might
remain strangers. In this District the CROPS
last year, We're u full average; corn in some
sections was greatly injured by insects and
some fields were a total failure; while in
other sections the yield was uncommonly
good, making full average for the District.
The wheat crop was about a fair avarage I;
rye is grown in snail quantities and only
for the straw buckwhcat is raised to some
extent and the past season mace a fair crop:
it is grown only on finnish land; the popu-
lar prejudice, that it is an eXhauSting crop,
operates against its cultivation on improved
land, though | think it would puzzle the
advocates of the above theory to give very
satisfactory reason for sowing an eXhausting
crop on land already exhausted. The root
crops are not much grown: some potatoes
are raised for sale and seem to flourish well.
but generally speaking, the crop is too much
neglected. The same may be said of the
other root crops; few only plant them for
table use and as food for stock, but their
Importance is vastly moderated and their
cultivation consequently neglected.
Our farmers are going into the fruit bust
ness or rather into the fruit tree business;
and apple trees the past fall | wish their
expectations may be realized, but have my
doubts about the propriety of planting
many trees, after the experience Of the past
few years.
Speaking oftrees leads me to remark that
nurscrymen are not always any more honest
than other men. They go about with splen
did drawings of the choicest kinds of fruit
to enable them to effect sales of trees, one
of which. III my case, was plumb grated
on n peach stock, and of course worthless,
Tor the peach worms attacked and killed it,
the first summer.
IN the article of stock to- which you invite
attention, this District is, perhaps, behind
some others; particularly in what may be
termed line stock fine stock is like some other
fine things, well to look at, but rather ex-
pensive to keep. | have had some exper-
fence with stock and the result is that the
common stock is the most profitable =
There is not much beef fed now in this
District, which once produced some fine
cattle; some farmers keep only what stock
is needed on the farms others are darying,
while others are feeding sheep, mostly, the
rough, i'll conditioned, western sheep, about
fit for dog feed the present and probable
high price of wool, seems to promise the
largest profit from sheep, Of any species OF
farm stock.
have, thus, Mr.. Editor, in response to
your invitation given brief synopsis of the
farming interest for the past season, hoping
my example may be followed by those who
are able to write what will be both interest
ing and instructive, | will close my hasty
and | fear unntetesting epistle, reserving
for another task, the manufacturing interest
Of the Fourth District. AGRIcoIA.
1--WE think our correspondents " fine
stock y has been uncommonly common, or
his commonly stock uncommon fine. Our
experience is that rough stock is decidedly
Improbable compared with smooth in the
matter Of feeding. The latter being much
easier fatted and selling more readily and at
much higher rates. Ep.