230 



FARMERS' REGISTER— MR. MERIWETHER'S FARMING. 



part of my land covered with clover, and I believe 

 )'ou will not, at this time find one acre of my land 

 not under cultivation, that is not pretty well cover- 

 ed with clover, nor is tlierea single acre of gullied 

 or galled land that has not been brought under 

 pultivation. I nmst here mention, what should 

 perhaps more properly have been mentioned be- 

 Ibre, my plan of improving this kind of land, ol' 

 which I have had a great deal to manage. I have 

 always made it a point to haul as much of my 

 straw back into the fields, as I could conveniently 

 spare from the use ol" my stock during the winter, 

 and to cover these galls or sores about twelve or 

 fifteen inches deep, in return loads while thrashing. 

 In this way I gee at least one half of my Avheat 

 straw, hauled back into the field, scarcely missing 

 the time required for the operation; and I believe the 

 straw thus spread upon land of this description 

 will be much more beneficial than in any other 

 way. 



My general method of manuring, which I know 

 is dilTerent from the usual practice, and at variance 

 with the ojjiniona of our most judicious farmers, 

 is to commence manuring in the poorest spot in 

 tjie field, and proceeding on in this way from spot 

 to sj)ol until the manure is exhausted. By this 

 mode I have got land that would not have pro- 

 duced any thing, in such heart, as to be ready to 

 receive benefit from the use ol' clover, and plaster 

 — otherwise, on these spots they might have been 

 used in vain. Agam, by this mode of improving, 

 I have generally got my fields into an uniform 

 condition of fertility. While none is rich, it is all in 

 such heart that I seldom sow without reaping a 

 pretty good crop. AU which is respectfully submit- 

 ted to the judges, by 



JOHN H, CKAVEN. 



The palmer marked C, referi'ed to in the report 

 of tlie judges, being Mrs. Minor's answers to the 

 questions |)ropouiuled by tlie judges, were with- 

 drawn iron) publication by permission ol" the Soci- 

 ety. 



D 



y/nswers to the questions propounded to the candi- 

 dates, for the premium offered for the best cultivat- 

 ed, farm, by the j^griculturul Society of jjlbe- 

 marle. 



1st, There are nine hundred acres in my tract; 

 about four hundred acres are cleared. 



2d. It is divided into five fields, from sixty to 

 one huiulred acres each. 



3d. The fields are cultivated regularly in corn, 

 wheat, and clover: except that a part of the larger 

 fields is put in tobacco; and about half the fieldtn- 

 tcnded fjrliillow, is left unjdoughed. 



4tlr. The fallowing for wheat is done afler har- 

 vest; about the 20th of September, the land is har- 

 rowed over, the wheat sown, and harrowed in by 

 the first of October: when the seeding in corn land 

 commences. This is prepared by cutting off the 

 stalks and removing them, and running a single 

 horse |)lough once, inmiediately in the row, which 

 ploughs up the corn stubble. A large harrow is 

 then run across the rows to level the surface, the 

 wheat sown and put in wiili little Carey ploughs: 

 a harrow or bueh completes the operation, winch, 

 generally terminates by the last of October. 



Oats are sown on "corn land about the last of 



February and first of March; clover, aliule earlier. 

 Rye, IS not cultivated. 



5th. Corn, is cultivated only on clover land, 

 which is ploughed as early after seedjng wheat as 

 jiracticable, harrowed over in March, and listed 

 horizontally five leet apart. The lists are ojiened 

 with a coulter, and the corn planted as early in 

 April as practicable, four or five grains in a liiH, 

 from two to three ieet apart. As soon as the corn 

 comes up, a coulter is run- twice on each side of 

 the row; the same operation is repeated with 

 ploughs and the corn thimied to one stalk in the 

 hill, as soon as its size will permit. After wetni- 

 ing, the whole interval between the rows is plough- 

 ed once or twice, before, or immediately after har- 

 vest. In planting, and eveiy subsequent operation, 

 the richest parts of the field are worked first, and 

 generally alDOut hall' laid b}^ before harvest; mime- 

 diately after which, the bushes, weeds, and grass 

 are chopped out with hoes. 



6th, Wheat is sown from five pecks to two bush- 

 els per acre, thicker on. mare fertile land, and that 

 seeded later in the season. On fallowed land there 

 is some allowance made for seed not buried by the 

 harrovv. It is not the object to sow that quantity 

 ^vhich will bring the heaviest croj) of a good year, 

 but to make the crop less liable to be injured by 

 the fly, Irost and rust, (as it will ripen earlier when 

 oown thick,) guarding against any material injury 

 from too thick seeding in dry years. 



7ih. The purjile straw wheat has been found 

 most productive. The best grain is selected tbr seed, 

 and cleared of the cockle by usinga sand sieve to the 

 fan, nearly as large as the sand board. 



8lh. The cradle is used entirely for gathering 

 small gra,in, as being much the most exfiedllious; 

 particularly, where hands are unuccustomed to the 

 sickle. 



9lh. At the commencement of my operations, 

 the average product per acre, was about two and a 

 half barrels of corn, and seven Inishels of wheat. 

 It is now, about tour or five barrels of corn, an(l 

 twelve 'bushels of wheat. 



10th. There arc eleven laborers on the (iirm, 

 viz: seven men, three boys, and one woman: day 

 laborers are scarcely ever emjiloyed. 



lllh. The number of Avork horses is five, and 

 almost exclusively ibr the plough; of oxen, six, 

 used for hauling with the cart or ivagon. These 

 have been all raised on the fiirm, and two of the 

 work horses: also, four saddle horses of fine 

 blood, which promise more profit than any other 

 stock. 



12th. The horses are fed on clover hay, corn 

 and oats ground, or not, according to circumstance!?, 

 and cut oats straw; oxen on the same, with top 

 fodder or shucks, but depend princii>ally on grazing 

 in summer. 



13lh. The McCorniick plough is preferred as do- 

 ing the best work, of the liglitest drauglit, easiest 

 kept m order, and cheapest in the end.^Rodes' hill 

 side ])lough is used on steep land, where we cannot 

 get around the hill, and for single horses, Carey • 

 ploughs with a long wing and no mould-board. 



I4th. The horned cattle are 33 in number, 6 

 work oxen, 5 milch cows, a bull, 20 young cattle 

 and two horses: more than should be on the farm. 



loth. Hogs and pigs on the farm amount to 60 

 at. this tune, about 25 of which are for pork this 

 fall. They are kept on the field intended for corn 

 all the Avinter, and until the corn is planted, then 



