THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



Vol.. II. 



APRIL, 1835. 



No. 11. 



EDBIUND RUFFIW, EDITOJI AND PROPRIETOR. 



-BLUE GRASS 

 -GRASS HUS- 



CHICKAHOMONY SWAMP LAA'DS- 

 AN» tIERBS GRASS fllEADOVVS- 

 B AN DRY. 



To tiic Editor of the Faiuicrs' Register. 



Henrico, February, 1835. 



Ail the streams in this Avhole region of the 

 state, large enough to turn a grist mill, are border- 

 ed by low grounds or alluvial flals; varying in 

 width, nearly in proportion to their length. There 

 is much dilTerence also, in their soil, for that par- 

 takes much of the color and character of the 

 lands through Avhich the upper parts of the 

 .streams and their tributaries ])a3s. The Chicka- 

 homony, ("or instance, rises in the "livery," slashy 

 lands of Hanover and Henrico; and its low 

 grounds are generally stiff, with a considerable 

 portion of white and party colored clay. Above 

 the New Kent line they are comparatively nar- 

 row, and more diversified in appearance — subject 

 to inundation, and producing a remarkably tliiclc 

 and tall growth of gum, ash, maple, elm, Avhite- 

 oak, willow oak, and many other trees of the cli- 

 mate. The growth depends, however, very much 

 on the liability of the spot to water. A large pro- 

 portion, (and that much the most valuable,) of 

 these bottoms are yet to clear; and w^ill probably 

 remain a longtime unreclaimed, as they are sub- 

 ject to be often under water; and when tlie water 

 is off, remain too wet for almost any agricultural 

 purpose, until the heat of the summer has evapo- 

 rated the moisture. The river is narrow, very de- 

 vious in its course; with low banks. Indeed it is 

 evident, that it has frequently changed its bed. 

 Some years ago a law \vas passed, granting a 

 lottery to raise the means of straiglifening and 

 clearing out this river; but owing to some defect- 

 in its details, or some other cause, the act remains, 

 like many others, a dead letter on the statute book. 

 Individuals have deepened and widened the old 

 bed, for some miles, with evident benefit. The 

 water does not overilow to the same extent, nor 

 remain so long as formerly; and the bed is wash- 

 ing deeper annually, and injuriously, for the pre- 

 sent, to the lands below, where this operation has 

 not been performed. 



There seems to be fall enough, quite to the 

 head of tide-w-ater, to take off the freshets, if a 

 vent sufficient in width and depth, Vv^ere made. 

 If the land owners w"ere to unite with proper har- 

 mony and determination, this object might be 

 easily effected, and it.s benefits would compensate 

 the expense, more than an hundred-fold. Sixty 

 thousand acres of land at the least calculation, 

 would be rapidly thrown into the most profitable 

 tillage. This could not fail to be the result, as the 

 soil is exceedingly fertile, producing enormous 

 crops of hay, and within a few miles of Rich- 

 mond. Almost an incredible numberof the trunks 

 and branches of huge trees, the growth of past 

 ages, lie to and fro, cither entirely rotten, or fast 

 decaying in the water and mud; giving out with 

 the annual contributions of vejietable matter. 



noxious malaria! What could be more conducive 



to the health of the surrounding country, than the'i^nd conquers even,- th'no- ck 

 Vol. 11—47 ^ . = 



removal of these, along with the dense stifling 

 growth, through which a rny of .summer's sun 

 scarcely ever penetrates?- 



The particular part of the valley of this river to 

 which I allude, is about filleen miles long, aver- 

 aging, say, one and a hvdl' miles in width, exclu- 

 ding the bottoms of several tributary streams. 

 Although the general character of the soil, is as 

 stated; yet it varies exceedingly. The lands 

 nearest the main run, Euid in depressed places 

 tiirthrr off, are denominated mud lands. They 

 are diflerent in color, but all rich: being composed 

 of the washings from the highlands above, the 

 red, the jeliow, the blue, ami the white clays 

 Ibund on the hill-sides, and in the bottoms of the 

 tributary branches and ravines. Independent of 

 the supply of top soil and vegetable nmtter fur- 

 nished by freshets, the accunmlation of the last 

 ingredient, from the growth of the land for centu- 

 ries, must have been sufficient to ferlilize it. The 

 brown and chocolate colored mud land is better 

 than the gray aiid ash colored; being more friable, 

 or containing sand in a coarser form. The latter 

 is apt to bake and to crack open when drj- — nei- 

 ther freely absorbing nor giving out moisture. 

 Virgin cakes of it when broken, shoAV thin strata 

 of different appearances, which would seem to 

 indicate the tardy process of its formation. They 

 are very produciive in corn when the season is not 

 too wet; but that is too generally tiie case, in the 

 present condition of the swamp. Nor is it safe to 

 seed them in wheat; for it will be winter killed; 

 and if it were not, would be sure to grow- too rank 

 and fall, or take the rust. I know of but few- 

 instances of the success of this grain on these 

 lands. It has succeeded pretty -vVell with several 

 farmers on lands somewhat of this character; but 

 only after they had been well reclaimed, and tend- 

 ed sometime in corn. Oats do rather better; 

 though unless sown quite late, they are liable to 

 fall. The most congenial crop seems to be herds 

 grass. When the ground is well prepared and 

 properly seeded, the crop will range from six to 

 eight thousand pounds of cured hay. Timothy 

 succeeds well. The objection to it is, that it fires 

 or burns up, in this hot climate, and v.-ill not, like 

 herds grass, wait for the farmer. 



A grass has spontaneously sprung up in these 

 lands, and been ])ropagated by several persons, 

 who esteem it highly. They call it the blue 

 grass, from its rich o-Iossy blue aj)]iearance, both 

 while growing, and after cured into hay. It rises 

 from three to five feet; stem nearly flat, and about 

 the size of a goose quill; leaves numerous from top 

 to bottom of the stem, and from six to twelve 

 inches long, half an inch Avide near the boot, 

 smooth and tapering. It puts forth a thread-like 

 flower stem out of the boot of every leaf, which 

 rises and branches ofl' like the head of the oat, 

 bearing numerous small seed. This flower is of 

 a richeT purple than the leaf or stem. I do not 

 know hs botanical name, and if I did, it is proba- 

 ble that this pltdn descrij)tion would suit my pur- 

 pose jn describing it, even better. I am liighly 

 pleased with it, because it is said to delight in wet 



even the bullrush 



