FxiRMERS' REGISTER— FENCE LAW. 



Sll 



her rep;ular visits lont^ after the time when the 

 young birds had taken their flio-ht. This unusual 

 circumstance continued throug-hout the year; and 

 in the winter, a gentlenuin wlio had all along ob- 

 served her, deterniined on investigating its cause. 

 He therefoio mounted a ladder, and found one of 

 the young ones detained a prisoner, by means of a 

 siring of" worsted, which formed part of the nest, 

 having become accidentally twisted round its leg. 

 Being thus incapacitated ii-om procuring its own 

 subsistence, it had been fed and sustained by the 

 continued exertions of" its mother. — Raleigh Re- 

 gister. 



THE FEXCE LAW IN VIRGINIA. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



It is most lamentably true that the energies of 

 agriculture are crippled, and partially paralyzed by 

 legislative enactment — by the measures of our re- 

 presentatives, from whom we might expect pro- 

 tection. But IJiey give us such "protection as 

 eagles give to lambs, covering and devouring 

 them;" and I am almost induced to say, if the 

 laws passed on this subject were unlegislated it 

 would be most wise legislation. I particularly al- 

 lude to that law which renders it imperative on 

 every farmer to keep his fields enclosed, or it is 

 lawful for every kind of stock to de[)redate and 

 fatten on his hard earnings. This is the heaviest 

 tax we bear: and I think upon a mature examina- 

 tion of the subject, the universal cry will be "re- 

 heve us from this oppression." Let the subject be 

 fairly brought to the examination of every mind — 

 let the trammels of precedent and the mists of 

 prejudice be banished — let the ra5's of truth and 

 justice beam upon the subject, and Ave fear not the 

 result. I would gladly see the Register become 

 the arena in which the friends and opponents of 

 the fence law would display their prowess. We 

 are seeking after truth, we Avant facts, circum- 

 stances, or arguments in all their force to be pro- 

 duced to prove the necessity of a continuation of 

 this system in a country so long settled as Eas- 

 tern Virginia. Its evils have been declared, the 

 reaijons why it should be abolished have been ably 

 sustained by some of your correspondents. The 

 arguments remain yet unanswered. Shall silence 

 on this subject be construed into a tacit acknow- 

 ledgement that the system is indefensible and un- 

 tenable? If so, let there be one simultaneous move- 

 ment among the people — let us petition the next 

 legislature for a redress of our grievances, a relief 

 from the onerous load we bear — let petition follow 

 petition until the table in the legislative hall shall 

 groan beneath the weight of our grievances, and 

 the walls themselves echo back our wrongs. If 

 the present legislature like precedent ones, remain 

 dead to the interests of agriculture, the people at 

 the April elections Avill have the subject in their 

 own hands, when they can make a proper dispo- 

 sition of it. It was not my intention to discuss the 

 merits of the question, but endeavor to excite 

 others to it, Avho have abilities adequate, nay 

 even superior to the occasion. I sincerely hope 

 that many able and talented advocates may rally 

 around the standard of opposition that has been 

 raised. Every principle of justice, economy, cha- 

 rity, good feeling towards the suffering beasts, 

 require of our hands an abandonment of this sys- 

 tem. The peace of neighborhoods, the neglected 



and suffering necessities of the widow and the or- 

 phan demand it. We fondly ho|;e some of the 

 valorous knights "vvliose evening thoughts and 

 morning dreams are of kings, queens, and knaves," 

 (for we are told such things are all the fashion at 

 Richmond) will forsake the society of this royal 

 fraternity, and give the subject a calm and delibe- 

 rate investigation. Here is a new theatre for ac- 

 tion — here honorable ambition Avould receive a 

 rich reward — the gratitude of an intelligent, suf- 

 fering community. How long shall agriculture 

 hang her harji upon the willow? How long shall 

 she chant her dolorous notes to the passing breeze? 

 Let but the agricultural community rise in the 

 majesty of their strength, and her redemption 

 draweth nigh, and her delivery is at hand. 



A'IRGINIUS. 



Prince George, Aug. 5, 1834. 



THE VALUE OF LIME AS SIAIVURE IN PENN- 

 SYLVANIA. 



To the Editor of tlie Farmers' Register. 



Charles City County, July 22, 1834. 



I send you hereAvith enclosed, an extract of a 

 letter Avritten by a friend, in ansAver to some in- 

 quiries made by myself Avith a vieAV to obtaining 

 correct information on the use of lime as a ma- 

 nure in Pennsylvania; and the mode of farming, 

 rotation of crops, &c. Should you deem them 

 worthy a place in your paper, or as adding any 

 thing to the interests of agriculture, they are at 

 your service. 



COLLIER H. MINGE. 



In Virginia, the object of farmers is grain — in 

 Pennsyh'ania, grass and grazing. Your courses 

 of crops in Virginia succeed each other every three 

 years — in Pennsylvania every six or seven years. 

 By feeding cattle Ave improve our land — by plough- 

 ing, Ave reduce it. There is no land of mine that 

 AA-onld stand your mode of cropping — Avhich causes 

 me to think that your land must be of the first 

 quality, if properly managed. The use of the 

 plough I admit, but object to the abuse of it, which 

 is Avhen you plough up more land than you ma- 

 nure, to gain five per cent, on the quantity plough- 

 ed up. 



But to ansAveryour inquiries. My farm east of 

 the turnpike road contained 100 acres, of Avhich 

 about 85 AA-as cleared land. This, Avhen I pur- 

 chased it, Avould not have produced more than 

 fifteen bushels of corn per acre. If I should noAV 

 say that it Avould produce forty-five bushels per 

 acre, I think myself as near the truth as fifteen 

 bushels Avhen first purchased. Noav for the mode 

 of improA-ement. Lime Avas my dependence. In 

 the first place, fifty bushels per" acre Avas applied 

 on the grass, to lie over the Avinter, or to be plough- 

 ed up in the fall for corn. In the spring before 

 planting, fifty bushels more on the other side, 

 making one hundred bushels of lime per acre. 

 NoAV this field Avill be soAved in oats or barley. I 

 noAV view my manure, to see hoAV far it Avill go to 

 give tAventy bushels of Avheat per acre in a fan- 

 season: if it Avill not go over the Avhole, I sow the 

 remainder Avith grass seeds, like the rest, (cloA-er 

 and timothy) say four quarts of timothy, and six 

 quarts of clover per acre. This land remains in 

 gra.'is until the remainder of the cleared land is all 



