FARMERS' REGISTER. 



233 



Kinds of roots and other 

 plants. 



Cucumbers, - - - - 



Musk melons, - - - 



Watermelons, - - - 



Early bunch cimlins - 



Runnintr sqiinRhes nf 

 every kind, and pump- 

 kins, - - - - - 



Early garden peas, - 



Late tall jjarden peas ol' 

 every kind, - - - 



Early dwarf snap-beans 

 of every variety - - 



Late runningsnap- beans 

 scnrlet. runners and 

 Lima beans, - - - 



Okra or gombo, - - 



Onions, - - - - - 



Celery, 



Tomato, 



Distances of drills or 

 hills. 



3 feet each way for ear- 

 ly, and 4 foet for late, 

 both in flat hills, or 3 

 feet by 1, the rows 

 supported by sticks. 



From 4 to 5 feet each 

 way, in flat hills. 



From 6 to 8 feet each 

 way in flat hills. 



3| feet each wav in flat 

 hills. 



5 or 6 Ceet each way, if 

 quantity rather than 

 size be the object, and 

 in flat hills. 



From 3 tn 3| l(5et,eown 

 very thick. 



From 5 to 6 feet sown 

 thin. 



2| feet by 3 or 4 inches. 



4 or 4|- feet each way, in 

 flat hills. 



2^ feet by 12 or 15 inches 

 on level surflire. 



12 or 15 inches by 4 or 5 

 inches on level surface. 



4 feet by 6 or 8 inches, in 

 well manured trench- 

 es. 



3 or 4 feet each way in 

 flat hills, the vines to 

 be supported by 3 or 4 

 sticks around each hill. 



The above table I have taken, (as I before re- 

 marked,) parily from books, and in part from the 

 oral inlbrmation of experienced farmers and gar- 

 deners, confirmed by my own experience, having 

 Jong cultivated, at different times, nearly every ve- 

 getable which I have enumerated. Some few I 

 have omitted altogether, because I have never 

 seen the-ni at any table, nor scarcely ever heard 

 them commended by any persons who had tasted 

 them. It is possible that the whole table may ap- 

 pear to some to be nothing more than tellino; every 

 one what they knew before ; but, lor the reasons 

 already stated, I am sure that many will find it 

 convenient to refer to it, at least in re^rard to the 

 distances at which each kind of vegetable should 

 be sown or planted. Of the seasons for these ope- 

 rations 1 have said nothing, as they vary verj' 

 much according to soil, climate and the tempera- 

 ture of the weather in each month. But many 

 of our common almanacs give the requisite in- 

 formation as to the proper seasons lor plantinu; and 

 cowing in each latitude ; and nearly all the old 

 gardeners, every where, can tell those who are 

 ignorant. There are, however, two subjects 

 connected with the table, on which 1 will add a 

 few " more last words." These are, the best kinds 

 of manures, and the culture especially of root- 

 crops. In regard to the first, I believe myself to 

 Vol. VIII— .30 



be warranted by some 30 or 40 years' observation 

 and experience, in saying that the differences be- 

 tween all the vegetable and vegeto-animal ma- 

 nures, when applied in equal quantities, consist 

 much more in the degree than in the nature of the 

 fertility imparted, simply because one bulk, where 

 all are of the same size, will contain more of the 

 food of plants than another. Let me not be un- 

 derstood as asserting that there is no difference 

 whatever in kinds. All I contend for is, that it 

 is far less than some reputed scientific agricultu- 

 rists would make it: and that in many of their 

 apparently learned descants on the subject, so 

 common in our old books of husbandry, especially 

 when they come to speak of their complicated 

 composts and expensive stercoraries, there is 

 much more of quackery, than real utility, particu- 

 larly to the farmers and planters of our country. 

 I have always found that the manure either of 

 horses, cows, sheep or hogs, or ashes, all of which 

 most of us can procure more easily than other 

 kinds, would cause all the varieties of plants 

 usually cultivated here to grow quite as fast and 

 perlecily. as any compost I have ever seen tried, if 

 applied in proper quantities, and at the proper 

 time. I have also found, in regard to all the ve- 

 geto-animal manures, that it is best to apply them 

 as fresh as possible, provided they be mixed with 

 the soil, in time for the fermentation to be nearly 

 or quite over just before the seed which you design 

 to cultivate are sown or planted. In this state 

 much less manure will suffice, which saves labor 

 in the application, and prevents the loss that ine- 

 vitably happens when fermentation takes place 

 before the manure is incorporated with the earth. 

 Where plants appear to be " burnt" by manure, 

 (as 'tis commonly said,) the effect is produced 

 either by excess in the quantity used, or by too 

 late an application, both of which faults are easily 

 avoided. Should these and other manures be too 

 scarce, and hard to procure in sufficient quanti- 

 ties, even for the garden, an excellent substitute 

 may be found in a strong infusion of soot and wa- 

 ter, made about the color of good coffee. This 

 mixture almost every one can procure. It should 

 be applied between, not on the plants, and may be 

 relied on as highly eflicacious in bringing them to 

 perfection : three or lour times during their growth 

 will suffice. 



Before I quit the subject of composts, let me re- 

 mark that there is one, and which every farmer or 

 planter may prepare, and which I will admit to be 

 well vv^orth makin<r ; not because it is at all better 

 than any of the manures which I have mentioned, 

 but because it prevents the eniire waste of various 

 putrescent subsiances to be found on every farm, 

 that are usually thrown au^ay and lost ; but which, 

 if heaped together, would soon ferment into a uni- 

 form mass, capable, if soon used, of imparling 

 considerable fertility to any of our arable lands. 

 Against all other composts, or rather those which 

 require the costly buildings called stercoraries, to 

 form and preserve them, I must here bes leave to 

 enter a decided protest, at least for Virginia farms. 

 In the first place, the expense of building, toijether 

 with the labor of preparing and applying the com- 

 poimd, will exceed, unless I greatly err, the profit 

 to be derived from it ; and, secondly, the waste of 

 manure, by fermentation, will be very great, not- 

 withstanding all the precaution which may be 

 taken to guard against it ; not to mention the in- 



