STATUS OF VIRGINIA AGRICULTURE IN 1870. 273 
4, Are farm anifnals increasing; and if so, what species, and what 
breeds? Is improvement of farm stock engaging attention, and to what 
extent ? 
Following the geographical distinctions as already sketched, we pro- 
ceed to give the substance of the answers to our inquiries ‘according to 
the order in which they were propounded. 
ROTATION OF CROPS. 
Tide-water district, (Northside.)—In the counties near Kichmond some 
attention is being paid to this subject, but not so much as before the 
war. The usual system of rotation in Henrico, as far as any prevails, 
embraces five shifts—corn, oats, wheat, clover, wheat; or corn, wheat, 
clover, wheat, pasture. Timothy is gaining ground, and when hay is 
the object the farm is divided into eight fields, each field yielding three 
crops of hay during the course. This is considered the most profitable 
system of farming. In New Kent clover is generally used as a green 
crop, allowed to stand one year, and then followed by corn. In Charles 
City the subject receives no attention, the farmers having many of their 
former slaves living on their lands and cultivating on shares, which pre- . 
vents due regard to impfovement. In King William the five-field sys- 
tem is preferred, both for profit and improvement, the course being 
wheat, clover, pasture, corn, oats. Pea fallow is a favorite preparation 
for wheat by some farmers. In York no attention is paid to the subject, 
and this remark applies to the other counties forming the Penin- 
sula. No progress of any kind is made, but the movement is backward. 
The negroes constitute four-fifths of the population, who cultivate a large 
portion of the land, either on shares, or for a money rent. They raise 
no crop but,corn, the average yield of which is about six bushels to the 
acre. 
Crossing York River, and its tributary, the Mattapony, we first enter 
King and Queen, where an excellent system of husbandry was formerly 
practiced. The farmers are returning to it as fast as they are able. The 
field-pea is mostly used as a green crop for wheat, and invariably with 
success. The rotation preferred is corn, manured with home-made manure 
on one-half of the field, and on the other peas are sown at the rate of 
one bushel to the acre in May or early in June. In September or Octo- 
ber the entire field is seeded to wheat, and the pea fallow is always the 
best. In three years the same field comes into cultivation again, when 
the treatment is reversed. This is regarded as a fine rotation, and the 
land improves rapidly under it. In some parts of the county the Mag- 
gothy Bay bean (Cassia chamecrista) grows spontaneously, and makes 
a rich return to the land in a green crop. Lands improve under it even 
when cultivated in corm and oats in alternate years. In Essex no 
inereased attention is given to a judicious alternation of creps. Very 
few farmers practice any regular course. 
Leaving this range of counties and crossing the Rappakannock, we 
come into the Northern Neck, one of the classic localities of the State, 
rendered memorable as being the birthplace of Washington and other 
illustrious Virginians. Its agricultural capabilities are very great, but 
in common with other portions of the State it received a severe shock 
to its prosperity. King George: No increased attention is given to 
alternation of crops, green crops being the exception, and seen on only 
a few of the best plantations. The four-field system was the one 
formerly in general use, wheat being seeded on a clover fallow, followed 
by corn, and then wheat or oats. With the use of clover and gypsum 
the productiveness of large fields was raised to fifteen and twenty 
18 A 
