1S37] 



F A K M J<: R S ' li E G i S 'V K R . 



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tlie proper Un\f, afier a i^ooil haiTovviMU of the 

 surlace, but liijlit enoiiixh not to di.-Jtiirb ilie co- 

 vereii leaves, or turn back the soil. Gypsum had 

 been sown on the leaves, alier they were spread, 

 thicker than is usual on clover — not less ihaii one 

 and a hall", and perhaps as much as two i-nshels to 

 the acre. The leaves laid on were Irom twenty to 

 tliirtv larnre waijon loads to the acre. The crop of 

 oats thus made is irenerally poor enontjh — but the 

 wheat succeeding produces well. On some ot'this 

 land, which [ saw under preparation I'or the wheat 

 o\' the second rotation, atler the commencement 

 of this course, the previous crop of wheat was 

 known to have averaged twelve bushels, on the 

 whole field of 47 acres. This land was part ot a 

 tract of 80 acres which had been bought at $6 — 

 tully double its value, by estimate, and more than 

 double it left withoui beinij improved. The first 

 crop of wheat made on the forty-seven acres, sold 

 at ^1 the bushel, and brought in more than the 

 purchase money of the whole eighty acres. An- 

 other piece adjoining, of fifteen acres, though no 

 worse, had been bought for something over .^3. 

 On this was a long narrow strip ol' moist bottom 

 — supposed to be three hundred vards long and not 

 more than six to eight wide. This was sown, af- 

 ter the wheat, in herds grass, and brought a pro- 

 digiously heavy crop — and the hay cut therefrom, 

 in one season, sold lor more than the cost of the 

 fifteen acres. 



I heard the first oat fallow (for wheat") on these 

 forfj^-seven acres spoken of by some of Mr. Samp- 

 son's neighbors with admiration. When the ibr- 

 mer surface of the soil was then again brought 

 up by deep ploughing, the leaves had entirely rot- 

 led and disappeared. The product of wheat, 

 stated above, showed that they were not lost. 

 After the wheat, clover had been sown, and plas- 

 tered, and atler four years in. grass, (and grazed, 

 as all the highland is,) a like heavy coat of leaves 

 was again applied, and the second rotation com- 

 menced, as before, with oats. The stubble of this 

 crop of oats was in the course of being ploughed, 

 when 1 saw the land, (Aui^ust IGth,) and a differ- 

 ent result was seen as to the rotting of the leaves, 

 which had been prevented in a great measure, by 

 tiie general dryness of the sutnmer. On this ac- 

 count, a new experiment was trying of lidlowing 

 the oat-stLi.bhle land with three-hoed cultivators, 

 which cut the suriiice very shallow, and very im- 

 perfectly. The object of this was to avoid draw- 

 ing up the unrolted leaves, and to cause the scat- 

 tered oats to sprout — an essential part of the oat 

 fallow system, as otherwise many of the oats 

 would live, and be mixed greatly with the next 

 crop of wheat. It was intended, after a week or 

 two to give this "scratch-fallow" a cross harrow- 

 ing, which will insure the sprouting of all the oats 

 — and a good two-horse ploughing, near seed time. 

 Will prepare well for the wheat. 



Mr. Sampson estimates highlv the value of 

 leaves as manure. Those used by him arc from 

 oak forest. He values pine leaves much more 

 highly, both for greater strength, and the fieedom 

 from the liability to be blown away, if not ploughed 

 under, as is the case with oak leaves; but there is 

 very little pine in this part ot the country. Ed- 

 ward Scott, esq., whose farm is across the river, 

 also uses leaves very largely and profitably for 

 manure, and has done so for, many years. He 

 pursues the more laborious practice of passing 

 Vol. V--47 



them through his stable, or winter cattle yards. 

 Jle inl!)rnyed me, however, of a remarkable luid 

 profii;ible applictiiion of the li-esh and unrotted 

 leaves, as ihey are raked up in the woods, in the 

 pracli(;e of his brotlier, who is a cultiviilor of 

 tobacco in Albemarle, and who uses such leaves 

 regularly as manure tor his tobacco, and to 

 his entire siiiisliiction as to the enriching and 

 other benefit thereby produced. His tobacco is of 

 small size compared to the product of very rich 

 lands; but the quality is so good and so peculiar, 

 that xMr. Edward Scott had heard twodifi'erent in- 

 telligent tob..cco merchants of Richmond, express 

 the opinion that there must be something in the 

 land of his brother peculiarly favorable to the 

 fine flavor of tobacco. No doubt this quality was 

 annually furnished to the land by the application 

 of leaves. It is well known that the tobacco raised 

 on newly cleared wood-land, (which of course is 

 manured by leaves, J has a flavor diflx'rent from, 

 and superior to that of other lands. The expe- 

 rience and oj)inions of both Mr. Scott and Mr. 

 Sampson, hold out strong encouragement to all, 

 and especially to the people of the pine district, to' 

 commence, or, if commenced, to increase their use 

 of this neglected and inexhaustible source of fer- 

 tilization — wherever the land is cajmble of retain- 

 ing the improvement so acquired. 



When clearing wood-land, Mr. Sampson per- 

 mits no brush to be burnt, as is the almost univer- 

 sal course elsewhere. It is all carted to the near- 

 est galls, or the spots of thinnest soil, and laid 

 over so as to form a thick cover, which lemains 

 until well rotted, belbre the land is ploughed. 

 There can be no doubt of the value and cheap- 

 ness of this mode of using brush, on any improv- 

 able poor soil, or sub-soil. When viewing some 

 galled spots, still lying under this heavy and 

 long continued cover, it seemed to me evident 

 that if marl or mild lime could have been also' 

 given liberally, at first, that great and permanent 

 fertility would have been insured. This might be 

 done to great extent in the low country, where 

 clearing is a regular winter's job, and where 

 there is plenty of poor land, and of galls, as well 

 as of inarl. Notwithstanding that the peculiar 

 qualities of these soils, and their aptitude fbrgyp- 

 suni, enables them to behighlyand profitably im- 

 proved without calcareous manures, Mr. S. does 

 not think the less of tke value of the latter. It is 

 to him a subject of much regret that his locality 

 has Ibrbidden his obfainino- them heretofore, and 

 he hopes yet that the supply may be hereafter ob- 

 tained at price's not too liii^h for profit, through 

 the fiicilities that will be offered by the James Ri- 

 ver canal, now in progress, and- which passes 

 through his farm. 



When any piece of wood-land hap been clear- 

 ed, f>r cultivation, the preparation hae always- 

 been unusually laborious and perfect. Every 

 thing that would obstruct tillage, except the stumps, 

 has been carried o!f — ^the brush for manuring gul- 

 lied and barren spois, and every thing else for fuel 

 or timber. Repeated coulterings in different di- 

 rections are given, and every root near the sur- 

 face is cut oft' close to the stumps. This thorough 

 removal of roots has been lijund to be improper 

 and injurious, as, by reducinir the supply of vege- 

 table food too much, the early productiveness of the' 

 land was manifestly le.«sened. 



The last new clearing was shown (o me, then' 



