112 



FARM ERS' REG [STER. 



[No. 2 



ON THE BENKFIT OF USING STRAW AS TOP- 

 URESSING FOR YOUNG CLOVER. 



To the Editor of tlie Farmers' Register. 



3Ia(lison, Jpril 14th, 1838. 



As the time is near at which farmers (jenerally 

 haul out tlie straw which the iiirm produces, be- 

 yond wliat is requisite for the support of its sloclt, 

 I tal<e I he liberty of recommending the appropria- 

 tion of some of it to an object worthy of their at- 

 tention, but which hitherto seems to iiave been en- 

 tirely neglected ; that is, as a top-dressing to 

 wheat, for the purpose of ensuring clover on spots 

 which otherwise would be entirely destitute of 

 vegetation. The first numbers of the Register 

 contained several articles on the subject of scatter- 

 ing straw, which attracted my attention, and for 

 eome years I followed the course there recom- 

 mended; that is, to haul out the surplus straw as 

 back loads, when bringing in the crop of wheat to 

 the machine, and then at some convenient time 

 to spread it. This method has its advantage, as 

 it is hauled out with little or no loss of labor; but 

 here it ends, and the disadvantages begin; for this 

 was never as valuable as the one which I pursue, 

 and for this simple reason, that the poor spots on 

 which it had been spread, had tailed to take in 

 clover; and then, instead of the heavy growth of 

 clover which it can produce, we had to depend on 

 the modicum of straw which we had applied for 

 the improvement. My course is now, to apply 

 the straw immediately after sowing clover seed, 

 and the result has exceeded my most sanguine 

 expectations; for at this time, I have clover on 

 poor spots thus treated, much better than on land 

 much richer; and it is now better than it would 

 have been for years to come, had it been left as 

 such spots generally are. It may be said that 

 fine manure would be belter, as by that, not only 

 the clover, but the wheat would be improved by 

 it. I admit the truth of this, provided it could be 

 done; but when we reflect on the labor requisite 

 to accomplish top-dressing on as large a scale as 

 the impoverished condition of Virginia requires, it 

 seems out of the question even to hope that, as a 

 general thing, it will ever be accomplished. In 

 recommending the above couise, F go upon the 

 idea, that in agriculture, as in government, we 

 should be content with the most practicable 

 scheme, and leave to others the pursuit of theories 

 as beautiful as they are difficult; and furthermore, 

 I shall be content to have this tried as an auxilia- 

 ry, lor one trial will suffice to fix our attention to 

 it; for when we take into consideration the facility 

 with which straw is moved, and the surface over 

 which a load will extend, I hazard little in saying, 

 that there is no way in which as nmch improve- 

 ment can be effected; and furthermore, I contend, 

 that even admitting that our lands have strength 

 enough to ensure clover, we should find our ac- 

 count in this application, as it is in the infancy of 

 the clover that it gives an impulse which no ap- 

 plication, made at a later period of its growth, can 

 give. Agricola. 



P. S. If farther proof of the excessive drought 

 of 1837 is necessary, permit me to mention a fact 

 which came under my observation about the mid- 

 dle of March. I had a ditch cut through a por- 

 tion of my low grounds, and I found that the clay, 



at the distance of three or four feet under ground, 

 was completely dry, so much so indeed, that as it 

 was thrown out, it could be converted into dust 

 without dilhcully. What makes it more remarka- 

 ble is, (hat an entire winter's snow and rain had 

 not been adequate to its correction. 



SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL CONVENTION. 



[We request attention to the following able report 

 upon a subject of vital importance to all the southern 

 states. Having in the preceding volume, (p. 50G,) 

 when presenting the proceedings of the first meeting 

 of the convention, expressed our sentiments fully and 

 clearly in favor of the general objects in view, it is 

 unnecessary to offer further comment on that score, at 

 this time. 



The wretched and deplorable state of the currency 

 and of exchange, though one of the sorest evils ever 

 inflicted on our country by mis-government, will be 

 compensated to the suffering south, if this state of 

 things should continue long enough to produce the ef- 

 fect to which it manifestly tends, of discouraging the 

 continuance of the artificial system of the southern 

 states trading with Europe through New-York, and 

 paying to northern merchants, as agents and " middle- 

 men," a profit on every sale and every purchase, made 

 on account of southern producers and consumers. 

 One of the advantages of a paper currency which is 

 most frequently referred to by its most thorough-going 

 advocates is its furnishing means for the easiest and 

 cheapest possible transmission of funds between distant 

 places. Now, it costs an addition of at least five per 

 cent., for exchange, for a debtor in Virginia to pay 

 his creditor in New- York, or for a cash purchas- 

 er to obtain goods there. In other words, it costs 

 five dollars expense to convey from Virginia to New 

 York 100 paper dollars; and from thrice to five tunes 

 as much, from some other places. Yet there is no 

 question, with any one, but that the bank notes of Vir- 

 ginia, on which 5 per cent, must be lost in New- York, 

 are just as good as tliose of New- York, which com- 

 mand that premium in exchange; or just as bad — (to 

 reverse the proposition — ) the banks of both being 

 alike able, and yet both alike refusing, to perform 

 the false promises to pay, which are displayed on the 

 face of every one of their notes. 



If we had a currency as cumbrous aud heavy as sil- 

 ver, it would cost but one half of one per cent, to con- 

 vey it across the Atlantic; and even if it were in cop- 

 per, it would not cost so much to transfer it to New 

 York, as it now costs in the lightest currency in the 

 world. But to return to our position. The effect of 

 this enormous difference of exchange, is to compel 

 the merchant from Virginia, or North Carolina, who 

 now buys foreign goods (as heretofore) in New York, 

 to pay 5 per cent, more than the price and all other 

 previous charges; and of course so much more than 

 he would have paid to the direct importing merchant 

 at, or nearer home. This additional 5 per cent, is too 

 heavy a deduction for ordinary profits to be long borne. 



