FARMERS' REGISTER 



445 



are generally not sensibly aflected by insects. ! 

 discover no damage this year ariionjrst my crops, 

 except my rye ; and the liiilure of this I do not 

 attribute io insects, but a peculiar stale ol' liie at- 

 mosphere. 



1 attribute my success lo the almost incessant 

 motion of the plough and harrow. Indeed, when 

 I view my crops, and reflect that about twelve 

 years pasi my grounds yielded to the acre only 

 about 12 bushels of corn, 8 bushels ol' oats, and 

 less of wheat or rye, and that crops are harvested 

 from the better portions almost every year, 1 am 

 astonished. I have now a lot of corn growing, 

 containing 13 acres, whicii is at least equal to any 

 1 ever saw, and two others not (iir inferior. As to 

 ihe estinialed produce, I v.'ill not sav; nor do I bet 

 or banter. But this I say, if any Virginian may 

 this year grow more corn to the acre than I do, I 

 will give him .*ilO lor a bushel of seed. 



The ground on which the first mentioned corn 

 grows, had been cropped annually for about ten 

 years, about half the time in corn, the balance in 

 wheat or rye, but lightly manured ; yet the crops, 

 when not infested with insects, have been conti- 

 nually on the increase. It was ploughed lo the 

 depth of eight or nine inches three limes, and 

 harrowed as olten before planting. The first 

 ploughing was in July last, immediately after se- 

 curing therefrom a crop of rye and o;its, when it 

 was also harrowed ; the second ploughing was in 

 December, when manure was spread, and not 

 harrowed; the third was in JVlarch and beginning 

 of April, and harrowed ; and again harrowed the 

 18th or 20th April, and the corn planted. I will 

 not say that all the insects are dead, but this I say, 

 the corn is all alive, as a memorandum taken this 

 day will show. July 15th, corn just beginning 

 lo tassel, from 8 to 19 leet high, large stalks, 

 blades from 3 to 4| leet long, and from 3 to H 

 inches broad. The rows are 5 feet apart, stalks 

 10 inches apart, (or rather two stalks together 20 

 inches asunder.) This lot, as also my whole 

 crop, was first tilled with the old Virixinia coulter; 

 second, the common cowiongue cultivator; third, 

 the common Dutcli shovel was run once on each 

 f5ide of the corn, and the cultivator in the centre ; 

 lastly, the culiivaior, and my crop is clean. 



JVly corn is a large and prolific kind, wliich be- 

 ing near the mountains induces me to plant hite, 

 otherwise my crops would be diminished by the 

 increased shade ol" the taller growth, 'i'he uni- 

 formity of the growth in the field is not more 

 pleasing than the unilbrmity of the produce ; lor 

 it was originally fi-om one ear; and I dare say il 

 a late writer in the Jief»isler were lo see my cro[>, 

 he would not send to a Yankee lijr seed again. I 

 have tried the genuine double-eared corn, wliich 

 did not equal mine, and have again this year 

 planted a small field with twins selected last fall 

 from my own crop, but am very doubtful of im- 

 provement. 



When I took up the pen, my principal oljiM't 

 wns to recommend to the public the culture of mil- 

 let. Fessenden, in his 'Complete Farmer,' says 

 " there are three kinds of millet," all of which 

 are known to me, but that which is least known 

 among us. and which is Ihe true millet, grows 

 about six inches taller than oats, with a larirer 

 .stalk and bltide, with the grain on the top, which 

 is yellow, and aboui tl-.e si/f of the jellow mus- 

 lard. This nnllct will grow on lauil of any (jualily, 



makes as good if not better hay than oats, and the 

 yield is about double as great. The northern 

 writers say that millet nuist be mowed ; but from 

 experience I can with equal propriety say it wust 

 not be mowed. I cradle it, cure, bundle, and cut 

 ill a box, as if it were oats. By this method of 

 harvesting, I cut about four times as much as 

 could be mowed. Being cut hiirher, the hay is 

 better, it is cured quicker, cured better, and finally 

 it is ready for the cutting box, out of whicli it 

 comes as soft and as nice as heart could wish. If 

 sowed for hay, I put on rich land about one bushel 

 lo the acre, and on ordinary land al/out half this 

 quantity. If sowed liir improvement, the same 

 (luantity as above. If lor grain or seed, from half 

 a bushel to a peck to the acre, according to quality. 

 But one coiisideration which enhances the value of 

 millet higher than all others combined, is this: if a 

 field of wheat, rye, oats, corn, tobacco, or grass, 

 from any cause niay fail, the millet is ready to 

 stand in its stead. It Avill come to perfection if 

 sowed at any lime between February and August, 

 or two crops may be made on the same ground in 

 the year, or the small grain stubbles may he 

 ploughed down in July, and the millet sowed. My 

 millet intended lor seed is now heading, and from 

 2^ lo 4 feet high, and I am yet sowing, either to be 

 made into hay, or jiloughed down lor improve- 

 ment, as I may determine. 



In closing; I would remark that I would be 

 thankfiil to some of those who are abusing the old 

 Virginia method of harvesting corn, to instruct me 

 how I am to shock (stack) my corn, which, when 

 trrown, will be from 12 to 17 leet high. And lastly, 

 Mr. Editor, Ihe day is excessively warm, and I am 

 very nervous, therefore please excuse this scrawl, 

 and if worthy of insertion in the Register, please 

 correct errors. And yet one more word : there are 

 in Amherst many belter tracts of land than mine, 

 but on these the jxeneral yield is less:. 



jjmhersl, July 15, 1S40. Za. DuuMwo^n. 



EXTRACT FROM PRIVATE COR R ESPOX DKAC E, 

 AND REMARKS THEREOIV. 



* * * I have been truly surprised, not only that 

 asintrle jierson, almost unaided, could sustain, with 

 the success you liave done, the interest of your 

 paper, but how with any degiee of capacity or 

 diligence you could find the material, drawing so 

 little as you do on former publications. * * * 

 I regret that having been bred to a difi'erent trade, 

 (and which you had the good sense to quit alier a 

 short trial,) I am not qualified to lend you assist- 

 ance ill your present better occiqjation. I think 

 what I have Leathered on a sint'le subject from the 

 Register, will bring aie in (what I do not now 

 care for a great deal) thousands of dollars, if I live 

 a few years. * * * * 



It is gratifying and soolhing to feelings irritated by 

 general indications of unappreciated services, and 

 of our efiorls to promote agricultural improvement 

 being unaided, slighted, and disregarded generally, 

 lo receivesuch a test monial as the above, proceed- 

 ing fi'om such a source, liiil while we cherish the 

 compliment in our piiblicaiion, \ve mu.-i, in frank- 



