No. 4. On Seeding — Hussey^s Patent Reaping Machine. 



119 



Ou Seeding. 



BY GEORGE WILLETS. 



Of all the practices constituting good hus- 

 bandr)% none are more replete with beneficial 

 effects, and which better repay the outlay, 

 than that of seeding-. It has become an es- 

 tablished practice with good farmers to seed 

 frequently with clover and timothy, a prac- 

 tice that should be adopted by all. It is liioh 

 time that the practices and opinions of our 

 ancestors ; those which derogate from our best 

 interests, I mean, should give place to more 

 modern and more rational views. That there 

 has been great advancement in the science of 

 agriculture, will be conceded by all ; then why 

 do we cling so strenuously to ancient practices, 

 when those of modern date are infinitely su- 

 perior ? 



I rejoice in the improvement that has been 

 already made. Agriculture has become the 

 theme of the day. The most enlightened of 

 our citizens are embarking in its pursuits, 

 which give assurances of its being ultimately 

 established upon a basis concomitant with its 

 merits. Then it behoves us to follow those 

 practices most clearly demonstrated to be 

 beneficial; and believing seeding to be one of 

 these, I proceed briefly to detail its utility. 



The practice of seeding is too much ne- 

 glected by many of our farmers ; a practice 

 \\ hich, could they be induced to adopt, I am 

 confident in believing would not be relin- 

 quished. The natural grasses yield less of 

 quantity and nutriment than either clover or 

 timothy, and some others of more recent in- 

 tr(jduction. Double the quantity of pasture 

 maybe obtained from a given piece of ground 

 well seeded, than it would otherwise afford ; 

 and for mowing tliere will be a still greater 

 difference. 



Independent of this, its fertilizing proper- 

 ties to the soil must be considered. A good 

 sod preserves the soil from the too great in- 

 fluence of the sun, renders it porous, and con- 

 sequently pervious to nourishment ; hence we 

 observe that meadows newly laid down, almost 

 invariably bear the greatest burden. 



Whereas grounds not seeded, by being too 

 much exposed, soon become of so compact a 

 nature as to render them in a degree imper- 

 vious to either heat or moisture, without which 

 they cannot be capable of the least produc- 

 tiveness. 



Autumn we consider the most proper time 

 for sowing timothy, and the spring for clover. 

 We have generally made it a practice to 

 sow our timothy immediately after the last 

 harrowing in of wheat, having a person to 

 follow each harrow, which leaves, not a parti- 

 cle of ground without seed, and I never, have 



perceived wheat to have been injured in con- 

 sequence. 



The time for sowing clover must depend 

 altogether upon the season, whether early or 

 backward. We have oftener sown too early 

 than too late, and I am inclined to believe 

 that others have fallen into the same error. 



In my opinion it should not be sown until 

 the ground begins to dry and become settled, 

 when it will be observed there are innumera- 

 ble small crevices produced by the contrac- 

 tion of the earth, which will receive the 

 seeds, and which the first rains will close, 

 thereby producing immediate vegetation. 



Kussey's Patent Reaping Machine* 



Letter of Gen. E. Mansfield, in reply to inquiries made 

 by Br. J. W. Thomson, Corresponding Secretary of 

 tlie Agricultural Society of New Castle county, Del. 



Near Middletown, (Del.) July 26, 1839. 



Dear Sir, — Your note of the 11th inst. was 

 duly received, in which you ask information 

 respecting " Hussey's Reaping Machine," 

 purchased by the Agricultural Society of 

 St. George's and Appoquinimink Hundreds. 

 1 should have answered it immediately, but 

 wanted to make trial of the machine under 

 my own inspection, which I have now done 

 to my perfect satisfaction. I do not hesitate 

 to say it will do every thing the patentee says 

 it will do.* 



It cuts a band of from four feet six inches 

 to five feet wide, if propelled at the rate of, 

 four miles to the hour, which active horses 

 will walk. Every mile's travel will be above 

 half an acre. It will therefore depend upon 

 the industry of the operators, and the activity 

 of the horses — when kept in full and active 

 operation, it will furnish work for five binders. 

 'I'hat it cuts smoother and cleaner than any 

 cradle, and lays the grain, if properly attend- 

 ed by the man with the rake, better than nine- 

 tenths of the cradlers that grip the grain is 

 a fact, cutting a smooth stubble of about six 

 or seven inches high. In higii projecting, 

 rocky and stumpy ground there would he some 

 difficulty — but on rolling or undulating land 

 it will cut as well as on a perfect level. 



The patentee has calculated it for two 

 horses — when 1 tried it, the ground was soft 

 in consequence of a heavy rain ; I therefore 

 attached three horses, wliich I found to work 

 well and with great case. The price is one 

 hundred and fifty dollars. Any description 

 I might give of the structure would be imper- 

 fect. As it can be seen by any and all per- 



* Warranted to cut fifteen acres of heavy wheat in a 

 day, the grain taken as clean and left in as good order 

 lor binding as when cut by the scythe or sickle. 



