405 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 9 



growth of weeds, where they are deposited, that 

 seem entirely foreign to the soil, and such as are 

 found no where else, in similar situations, without 

 adventitious aid. The Jamestown weed, {datu- 

 ra sir ammonium.,') and the poke (phytolacca de- 

 candria,') are, spontaneously, the produce only of 

 the richest soils. Yet, if a horse or ox stable is 

 placed on the summit of the poorest knoll, in a 

 year or two an abundant growth of the James- 

 town weed and poke, is found near them. The 

 seeds are surely not conveyed there by the ani- 

 mals, and the origin of the weeds must "be referred 

 to the action of the manure on the lands. As no 

 where else, on spots of similar fertiUty, do these 

 weeds make their appearance. 



A plant, well known to cultivators of tobacco 

 in this country, by the name of cotton-weed, comes 

 up the first year after the lands are cleared, in 

 great numbers, about the fences, and on every spot 

 not worked. If the timber is cut away, and the 

 ground not cultivated, whole acres are sometimes 

 entirely covered. In a year or two it begins to di- 

 minish, and soon after disappears sometimes en- 

 tirely, and always to so great an extent, as to be 

 scarcely noticed. It furnishes vast quantities of 

 winged seeds, which are carried about in every 

 direction by the winds, to the great annoyance of 

 those exposed to them, and would cover the whole 

 country, if it were capable of ffourishing any 

 where but upon lands recently reclaimed from the 

 forest. I will add only one more fact, although 

 many might be adduced, of a similar character, 

 and 1 shall take that from a foreign country, to 

 show the law is general. It is the striking one 

 presented by the poor heaths and moss ground of 

 Scotland, where white clover follows the applica- 

 tion of limetothesurface. without seed being sown. 

 I do not presume to enter into the examination, 

 how vegetation is produced by the action of stimu- 

 lating agents on the earth's surface, with or with- 

 out the agency of seed. Both are intrinsically 

 equally mysterious ; but one from being familiar- 

 ly known, attracts little notice, whilst the other 

 being much less observed, awakens curiosity in a 

 higher degree, when the attention is called to it. 

 The fact seems to me above quest ion, that the earth 

 possesses the capacity of being acted on by stimuli, 

 and some agents have the property of exciting it, 

 more than others, to put Ibrth certain products. 



It is interesting to agriculturists, because by at- 

 tentive observation, the appropriate manures to 

 each of our crops, may, perhaps, be discovered, 

 and a great deal of labor saved, which is now 

 wasted, by our operose and indiscriminate mode 

 of manuring, while larger results may be obtained. 

 Gypsum, for instance, possesses the power, in a 

 remarkable degree, of stimulating the production 

 of red clover ; and no farmer will now doubt, that 

 a bushel of it will produce more effect on an acre 

 of that grass, than fifty or an hundred bushels of 

 Btable manure. 



Bone manure seems to possess an analogous 

 character. Sir John Sinclair, in the 'Code of 

 Agriculture,' says, " from fifteen to twenty bushels 

 of bone dust per statute acre, when drilled, have 

 been found to surpass, both on light soils and on 

 peat, the ordinary dressing of farm yard dung, 

 and even to exceed pigeon's dung and lime in 

 producing fertility.*" 

 He adds, (page 144,) " it is an immense advan- 



tage, ('if bones are properly used), that a severe 

 drought will not prevent a crop of turnips, even in 

 seasons when all other manures fail.* A number 

 of valuable animals are thus preserved from pe- 

 rishing, and manure obtained for tiie succeeding 

 crops, in the rotation." 



The introduction of manures, like gypsum and 

 bone dust in agriculture, is analogous to the use 

 of improved machinery in manufiictures. Larger 

 results are obtained, and the saving of labor is 

 immense. Indeed, 1 apprehend we have a very 

 imperfect idea of the capacity of the earth to pro- 

 duce articles usei'ul for man : and when a highly 

 scientific agriculture shall apply to each article, 

 desired to be produced, its specific and appropriate 

 manure, the capacity of the soil to sustain a large 

 population will far exceed our most sanguine ex- 

 pectations at present. Bone manure has enabled 

 England, formerly so largely an importer, to pro- 

 duce enough at home, for the subsistence of her 

 people. t It is dilficult to conceive a national ad- 

 vantage of more magnitude for her independence 

 and happiness. I need not enlarge upon the bless- 

 ings an improved system of cultivation would 

 confer on Virginia; and how much better it would 

 be for her sons, instead of crowding the already 

 over-loaded professions of law and medicine, to 

 devote themselves to agriculture, conducted on 

 scientific principles. The increase of wealth 

 would be immediate. But fiir more — men would 

 be wiser, better, happier, for employing themselves 

 in studying the phenomena of nature, amidst her 

 richest beauties, and having their minds directed 

 by a contemplation of the bounties that surround 

 them, to the great Author of their being, who, (to 

 use the beautiiul observation of Eranklin,) " bless- 

 es the labors of the husbandman, by a continued 

 miracle wrought in his favor, as a reward lor his 

 innocent life, and virtuous industry." 



For the Farmers' Register. 



ON DIFFERENT BREEDS OF ENGLISH CAT- 

 TLE. 



Dear Sir. — Having desired my friend, Mr. 

 Rush, on his late departure for London, to obtain 

 such authentic information for me as he could, as 

 to the best breeds of improved English cattle, I 

 send you, herewith, a copy of a letter from the 

 largest cattle breeder in England, on the subject ; 

 the publication of which, I think, will be accep- 

 table to your subscribers. 



Very truly yours, 



J. Mason, Jr. 



Georgetown D. C, Nov. Bd, 1837. 



Extract of a letter from Earl Spencer, to R. 

 Mush, dated December 1836, ylUhorpe, North- 

 amptonshire : 



I am so much interested in breeding cattle, 

 that I never think it any trouble to write upon the 

 subject, and therefore feel most happy in giving 

 yoii the best information I can, upon it. 1 am, 

 however, so much engaged with one breed, that I 

 fear my authority would be disputed by the advo- 

 cates of the other improved breeds in this coun- 

 try ; but I will endeavor to give you as impartial 



Code of Ariculture. Add. p. 142 



* Such is the action of gypsum on most crops, where 

 it is beneficial. 

 1 t Code of Agriculture. Add. p. 141. 



