The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-10-12
Communicated.
A Report 20 Irish Farmers VI" -
Agriculture OF Virginia.
pYHrGg HANNA, OF nAIAYNALocK' vs. HEINZ
~ - IRELAND.

,e.ts of agriculture in the State OF VIZ.
ginia have at first to point OUT Inc gleaI
difference between the methods OF farming
Gnreyailing in Ireland as compared VIII
those of this State. Irish farmers carr!
cultivation to the perfection OF sclehco
the Virginia farmers, on the contrary, a are
few Of the modern Improvements, anu arc
altogether behind the age.
The following is the way In which farmers
90 to work in Virginia:
lat. The original forest Is cleared. ~,
10, Cd The land is loosened by what is calico
!. q {. ConIter" plough, weighing some forty
to firtv hounds. Care is taken to leave the
surface soil on the top on account OIL its
strength and tatness. ,.,,
I'd. The land is raised at shallow depth
in ridges, in which crop OF tobacco Is
transplanted. The tobacco plants are
raised about five inches high, in the same
way that cabbage plants are raised IN the
cid Country. They are then transplantcd
ard placed in the ground by diDDle Ut
distances of three to three and half ieet.
ROTATION OF CROPS.
On this head / have to report:
fst. The land will grow tobacco Tor TWO
years without manure.
Cd. Wheat succeeds tobacco for one year
without manure.
Cd. Indian corn and oats are grown in
succession, the land resting every third
year.
WORKOUT LANDS.
Where lands are worn out, the cause
thereof has been the continued growing Of
Indian corn, oats, &C., without manure OF
rest. Incredible as it may seem. the land
does not wear out in less than thirty years,
and, according to reliable testimony, q
longer period Of productivencss could be
assigned. BY manuring with 100 70 2Ol
pounds Of guanO or superphoSphate oil lime,
at cost Of three to six dollars per acre,
the WORKOUT lands can be fully restored. III
j., however, the usual plan to abandon the
WORKOUT lands TO the natural growth ol
timber, which. in fifteen TO twenty years,
brings the land round again. How the
second growth of pines, cedars, and other
trees springs up is undecided. Some have
supposed that the birds drop seeds, and
others that the trees come from indigenous
germs in the soil. 1t is beyond doubt that
by the second growth Of timber the land
RECEIVERS itself, and ii possesses the adVan-
tage Of being more easily cleared than orr
gnal forest. In two or three years after
the second growth timber is cut down the
stumps are no obstruction TO the plough.
CONTRAST BETWEEN THIS SYSTEM AND THE
IRISH SYSTEM.
1t will he noticed that upon the plan OF
continued cultivation (by allowing the land
TO rest every third Year,, there is a loss equal
TO onc-third of the whole product of the
land in cultivation. On the Irish system Of
fan ming the third year, on the contrary,
would be used to grow grass and clover,
which would yield as profitable crop as
the best crops of wheat, &C., besides i'm
provin. the land.
SOIL AND MANURE.
1t is an extraordinary fact that manuring
is scarcely ever practlced in this state. III
the tanners manfred their lands as is done
in England and Ireland the productive
ness OF the soil would exceed anything III
the Old Country. On the other hand, Eng.
Iish and Irish farms, managed on the care
less methods in vogue here. would become
absolutely worthless. Where manure is
used the result is highly satisfactory.
CAPITAL REQUIRED.
I recently attended the inaugural dinner
of the National Virginia Settlement Asso-
citation, and in reply to questions | put to
the meeting q committee consisting of sew.
erul of the largest and most respectable
planters was appointed to consider the
same. This committee has published IN
interesting aud valuable report, in which
1t is shown that capital OF three dollars
per acre on the entire farm is sufficient in
Virginia. Accustomed as English and Irish
lIlClS are W WIFI u u
fifty to sixty dollars (say ElO) per acre, the
sum OF three dollars (say lis. 6d.) will ap.
pear to be very small capital, but l have
every reason to believe ii is amply sufficient
CONCLUSION.
l. would advise emigrants to give ny
tobacco-plantlng, as l am satisfied thai
farming on the Irish system would be more
profitable.
=. In my opinion the climate and soil o.
the country are admirably adapted to stock
raising. which, properly carried on, would
pay well.
). Intending emigrants will find it advan
tageous to place their affairs in the hands
of the National Virginia Settlement Asso
cation, of which the Rev. T. w. Greer, O
Wylliesburg, is president, which has Spe
cal commissioners for England and Irelant
nj SIG Strand. London, w. c., and Poynt!
Pass, County Armagh, Ireland.
tSignedl IIUGH HANNA.
Hylhesburg. Charlotte county, Va, Octo
Der 4th, 1874.