382 



FARMERS' REGISTER— IMPROVEMENT OF WORN LANDS. 



wine has been often made. The question is, can these 

 results be obtained with enough certainty, hy attention 

 to proper rules, to make the pursuit at least as profita- 

 ble as the cultivation of corn, or wheat, cotton or to- 

 bacco? 



We propose soon to republish Mr. Ilerbemont's ms- 

 thod of making wine. This was intended to have been 

 done just before the commencement of the present 

 wine making season, but was prevented by unavoida- 

 ble circumstances. In the meantime, for the purpose 

 of making the publication of more value to our read- 

 ers, v/e particularly recommend to its author the con- 

 sideration of the foregoing inquiry — which ho is pe- 

 culiarly fitted to throw light on, not only from his own 

 attention to the subject, and his devotion to the pursuit 

 in this country, but also from his personal knowledge 

 of the vine culture of France.] 



VETCHES, &C. PLOUGHED liV. 



Under thi.s article may be included all sorts of 

 ^reen manure. Amon>j^st the most active parts 

 employed as manure, I have lound the wild spe- 

 cies of the genus Sinapis, ploughed in fresh in the 

 bottom of turnip drills, at the rate of twenty tons 

 per acre. The produce brought by auction £ 12, 

 while the rest of the field manured with tvvetity 

 tons of larm-yard dung, brought only from £ 9 to 

 £ 10 per acre. Other weeds, such as nettles, this- 

 tles, ragwort, &c. jiroduce crops superior to farm- 

 yard dung. Potato stems, fresh ploughed in on 

 clover lay for wheat, I have lound to ])roduce crops 

 exceeding by two bolls per acre, in quantity, with 

 more proportionate weight of straw, the other 

 parts of the same field manured with farm-yard 

 dung, but otherwise under the same circumstances. 

 The stems from three acres of good potatoes, will 

 manure an acre tor wheat to much better purpose 

 than 15 tons of farm-yard dung, the usual quantity 

 allowed in that part of the rotation; clover alter 

 wheat being the crop which generally precedes 

 fallow. Under the head of "green manure," I 

 may mention an experiment I this year made with 

 pea straw converted into dung without the aid of 

 cattle. Having something of that sort on hand 

 about the middle of last May, and being in want 

 of some loads of manure to finish a potato field, I 

 had the peas thrashed at the mill, and the straw 

 and chaff carried to the side of the potato field, 

 and made up like a large hot-bed, giving each 

 layer of straw an amj)le watering. Fermeritation 

 soon commenced: and by the fifth day the mass was 

 so far decomposed as to be easily filled into the 

 carts. The eflluvium in filling was almost in- 

 tolerable. It w.as in this state laid in the bottom 

 of the drills; the sets of potatoes were planted 

 above, and the earth ploughed over the whole. 

 Notwithstanding the dry nature of the ground, and 

 the dry state of the weather in the summer months, 

 the part of the field manured with decomposed 

 pea-straw yielded a better return than where iarm- 

 yard dung was applied. — Loudon. 



For tlio Fanners' Register. 

 IMPROVEMENT OF WOUX LAND. 



This is an age of improvement. The arts are 

 advancing, facilities of inlercnurse greativ in- 

 creasing, with accelerated march to their hiffher 



destinies. Shall the agriculturist, the bone anc'' 

 sinew of the country, remain indifl'erent amidsi 

 the general iniproveinciit, and make no etibrt to 

 restore the Old Dominion? I am persuaded tiiey 

 w.ll not. Agricultural societies are tbrn)ii)g in many 

 |-arts of the country, and if Ibstered, will exert the 

 liappiest influence, by disseminating among the 

 people every new and important discovery in ag- 

 riculture. The field is wide, and the societies 

 might elicit the energy of practical men by pre- 

 miums I'ltr the best essays on agricultural subjects 

 written for gratuitoiiJs circulation. A system ot 

 improvement better adapted to the age in which 

 we live might be introduced in this way, as it is a 

 matter of general concern. 



If any system can be devised by wdiich the 

 worn lands can be restored, emigration to tlie west 

 would cease. The idea exists that nothing can be 

 done for the old lauds of Virginia, (an entire mis- 

 take.) I live in the tobacco district of country, 

 and as it is the most exhausted part of the country, 

 I will give my views, and hope that others more 

 experienced, will follow the example. The im 

 provement of land exhausted by the culture oi 

 tobacco is a subject of deep interest. Every 

 planter is interested, and should contribute to th( 

 spirit of improvement by some hint, some experi 

 ment or observation. 



The improvement of the worn lands in this 

 region of country, tlie waste of many years, will 

 require more patience and perseverance than can 

 be brought to bear successfully at present; for as 

 long as we have land to clear, or much land, in 

 good heart, there will not be much improvement, 

 as nothing, it seems, but dire necessity can influ- 

 ence us to make the efibrt. This we learn fi-om 

 the fact, that all owners of exhausted land are 

 often brought to the dilemma ot" deserlhig the 

 country, or improving their estates — and here I 

 would remark (with shame be it said) that few, 

 very few, are in enviable circumstances — compara- 

 tively few in possession of lands in a state of im- 

 provement. 



Our lands are deteriorating, and we are virtually 

 driven, by the force of circumstances, to abandon 

 the old plan of manuiing one or tAvo lots only for 

 tobacco nearourdwellings, and to commence some 

 system of improvement for every species of crop. 

 The returns from our fields of grain are diminish- 

 ing yearly — every man of candor will admit this 

 fact. As to the modes of improvement, fortunately 

 we have means plenteous and various; there is, wi 

 all know, nothing wanting but the will, and th 

 industry. Suppose one month in the fall of the 

 year was devoted to the collection of litter, the 

 leaves that fall in our forests, whether of" oak or 

 pine, Avould afford an inexhaustible supply. They 

 should be carried into the farm pens and stable 

 yards, before they have been dryed with the win- 

 ter Avinds, together with corn stalks, whent straw — 

 shrubs and brush, thrown on the galled land; and 

 if all land should be covered with leaves directly 

 from the woods, I have seen the happiest effect 

 on stiff laiid, and once knew a planter who said 

 he desired no better manure— he was very suc- 

 cessful. He made it a business to cover his tobacco 

 lots every 3-ear. 



The present aspect of the country exhibits a 

 willul waste. There is yet a great deal of down- 

 hill ploughing. This subject deserves the imme- 

 diate attention of every cultivator, for no improve- 



