256 



FARMERS' REGISTER— FENCE L VVV— IRON WHEELS, &c. 



Gloucester, j^ug. \st, 1834. 



I am pleased to find that the farmers of Virgi- 

 nia, are becoming sensible of the exceeding griev- 

 ance which the existing law of enclosures imposes 

 on them. It would be a relief to the farmers of 

 this state nearly equivalent in value to their annu- 

 al tax, if all were compelled to enclose their own 

 hogs. The burthen would be vastly relieved if 

 we could with any security make our outer fences 

 of post and rail, or any material sufficient to de- 

 fend us from our neighbor's large stock. As it is, 

 I know no respectable farmer who would not be 

 glad to pasture his poor neighbor's few cows, if he 

 could thereby be secured from general depredation. 

 All timber is becoming very scarce and exj)ensive 

 in the lower part of Gloucester county, and this is 

 a matter to which we must be soon compelled to 

 call the attention of our legislators. 



IRON WAGON WHEELS. 



We saw a wagon ni Court street this forenoon, 

 which, from the novel construction of the wheels, 

 excited considerable curiosity in the passers-by. 

 They were made entirely of iron — tlie outer part 

 of the wheel was formed from a single piece of 

 iron about an hich and a half square — the sjjokes 

 were round, and five-eighths of an inch in diam- 

 eter. The naves were constructed in a new and 

 ingenious manner, by which the f i'iction is much 

 diminished; and the whole appearance of the 

 wheels conveyed the idea of useflilness, neatness, 

 and simplicity. 



On inquiry, we learned that these wheels were 

 calculated to" sustain a weight of a ton and a half 

 — and that wheels of the ordinaiy construction, to 

 sustain so great a weight, would weigh about the 

 same as these newly invented wheels. The ex- 

 pense also, we were inibrmed, will not vary ma- 

 terially from those in common use. They were 

 manufactured by Mr. Hale, of South Boston; and 

 Ave believe this is the first attem])t of the kind to 

 manufacture all the parts of the wheel of iron. 

 The advantages to be derived from this invention 

 are neatness, safely, and durability. — Bost. paper. 



TO CORRESPONDENTS AND SUBSCRIBERS. 



We often receive communications of such ambigu- 

 ous form as not to be sure whether they are designed 

 for publication as they appear, or are private — or even 

 in part confidential. To decide in such cases is incur- 

 ring more responsibility than is our fair share. We 

 have always endeavored to comply with what we 

 presumed were the coiTespondent's wishes — but it 

 is not likely that these guesses have been always coi-- 

 rectly made. It is desirable that every article intend- 

 ed for publication without alteration, or with no more 

 chano-e of form than the editor may require, should be 

 headed "For the Farmers' Register," or that object 

 expressed in any other manner the writer may prefer. 

 If any passage is intended as private and confidential, 

 let it be marked "private," and the writer's wishes 

 cannot be mistaken, and will be always respected. 

 Every other letter having neither of these characters 

 marked, will be considered as private, but from which 

 we may be permitted as heretofore, to extract for pub- 

 lication any passages that we deem of interest to the 

 public. It is in this manner that our "Extracts of 



private correspondence," have been obtained — and for 

 their insertion, we only are responsible. 



The ambiguity of which we complain causes another 

 doubt as to communications of a mixed character — that 

 is, whether we are authorised to use the writer's pro- 

 per signature, as he has given it — or should omit it, 

 because the publication may not have been intended. 

 If the former course is taken, and the writer's intention 

 is mistaken, we are liable to be censured for using 

 names without permission — and if the name is omitted, 

 from a mistaken fear of that charge, it may be consi- 

 dered as a want of proper respect for the writer. Our 

 correspondents will see the existing difficulty, and we 

 hope, will relieve us from it in future. 



We are always glad to be allowed to publish the 

 proper signature of every one who writes on practical 

 agriculture, or who offers any statements of facts. Ne- 

 vertheless, no name will ever be so used, intentionally, 

 without the writer's consent: and therefore our coitcs- 

 pondents need not fear giving their names to the edi- 

 tor, (which is always desirable, though not insisted on) 

 even when they wish them withheld from the public. 

 The affixing any fictitious signature to a communica- 

 tion, will always be considered as a prohibition of the 

 use of the writer's name. 



These requisitions may be thought idle, and the in- 

 conveniences complained of as of no account. But 

 the evil to us is not only considerable, but is increas- 

 ing. Some of our correspondents may already have 

 seen proofs (if indeed we have mistaken their inten- 

 tions,) of the necessity of some regulation in this 

 matter. 



The proposed Cheap Edition of the Farmers^ Register 

 has received so little support, that the publication is 

 necessarily abandoned. If this result has been a dis- 

 appointment to our expectation of sending the Far- 

 mers' Register to a new and numerous class of readers, 

 it has also decisively proved the general preference for 

 the present form of our publication, and that few would 

 feel compensated by a diminution of price, for the in- 

 ferior quality and more perishable form of the Cheap 

 Edition as proposed. 



The following communications have been received: 

 '•On the true principles of profitable husbandry" — 

 "Thoughts on rearing fruit trees" — Remarks on the 

 Woodson and Cunningham Grapes" — Insects and 

 their desh'oyers" — "On the fence law" — "Colic in 

 horses" — "On water furrowing hill-sides" — "On Lobe- 

 lia Inflata" — "Account of Emmons' horse power ma- 

 chinery" — "Ashes on farm yard litter" — "Petition for 

 a change in the law respecting mclosures" — "Black 

 peas following wheat" — "Proceedings of an agricultu- 

 ral meeting in King William" — "The prevailing habits 

 and opinions which oppose tlie prosperity of agricul- 

 ture." 



Prmted hy Robert Hielictts, 



AT THE SHELLBANKS PRESS, 



Prince George County, Va. 



Where the printins of books, pamphlets, and other jobs, can be 

 executed promptly, and in the best !<tylc. 



