446 



F A R i\i E U S ' R E G i S T E H. 



ness and in truth, admit that it is not deserved. 

 Though our correspondent deems that ihe interest 

 ol'the Farmers' Register has continued to be fully 

 sustained, we do not. And, indeed, liovv can it do 

 otherwise than fall off in interest and in usefulness, 

 when, as our correspondent truly says, it is left for 

 support almost entirely to our own lights on agri- 

 culture, (feeble and limited as they are,) and our 

 own efforts to collect and diffuse information. In 

 the first commencement and establishment of this 

 journal we proposed merely to furnish a channel of 

 communication between (armers, and a depository 

 for ilie results of agricultural investigation, expe- 

 rience and observation. Except as one among 

 the manv who by their pens could contribute to 

 that fund, we did not expect, and certainly did not 

 promise, to sustain such a pul)lication as the 

 Farn)ers' Register was designed to be — or even as 

 it is, with all its admitted deliicts. Yet we ate 

 left alm.ost unaided to bear the burden, and the re- 

 sponsibility. All our l)ro her editors o( agricultu- 

 ral journals seem to suffer under a lil<e i)rivation, 

 if we may Judge from the general want of matter 

 in their pages, though they are not so regardless 

 of policy as to com|!lain in this manner. 



We have never tired under tlie weight of edi- 

 torial labors proper, and would rejoice, even in re- 

 gard to our personal comfort and happiness, to 

 have that weight increased greatly, as it would be, 

 by more numerous comnninications. But we are 

 indeed wearied, despondent, and almost ready to 

 cease our long continued ciibris, and lal)ors which 

 were our most precious possession, wlien we see 

 so little evidence, in general, of sympathy and of 

 approbation, or of the will to render assistance, from 

 the great body of Virginian agriculturists, who 

 ought to consider the Farmers' Register, in its 

 highest state of usefLilness, as the best means of 

 piomoting both their own individual and common 

 interests. — En. F. R. 



INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF MARL- 

 ING. 



For the purpose of obtaining from numerous 

 and distinct sources opinions of the practical el- 

 Iticts of marling, and especially of the oldest prac- 

 tice, we long ago prepared such queries as would 

 embrace and exhibit the wliule subject. These 

 queries, together with a more I'ully explanato- 

 ry circular letter, and remarks, were addressed 

 to our readers generally, through the Farmers' 

 Register, (at page 509, vol. v.) and also many 

 separate copies were directed to particular indivi- 

 duals whom we liad known, or heard o() as expe- 

 rienced in matliriff- 'I'he effort was vain. So very 



few persons answered the queries, or made the 

 slightest effort to aid the attentpt, that no use 

 could be made even of the liitle that was per- 

 formed. But though the effort was necessarily 

 abandoned (or the lime, the much desired object 

 was still kept in view ; and, at the earliest time 

 that we have been able to devote to it our per- 

 sonal attention, we have commenced seeking the 

 information desired, by visiting in person the (arms 

 of the most experienced, or the most judicious, 

 and, therefore, successful marlers, and taking down 

 fiom their own woids Ihe answers to the queries. 

 This renewed effort has been, as proprieiy dic- 

 tated, directed first to Prince George county, the 

 place of our own former labors, and the earliest in 

 Virginia of this kind, that were continued and ex- 

 tensive, exce|ii in one other place, James City 

 county. We are now engaged in this work, and 

 hope to present answers from Prince George 

 county in the next number of the Farmers' Re- 

 gister. Thence, if with sufficflent prospect of suc- 

 cess, we [iropose to visit other counties where 

 marling has been long and successfully practised. 

 We have beeti re[)eaiedly and urgently invited lo 

 visit different regions with this view; and proba- 

 bly this annunriation, i(" standing alone, miglit in- 

 duce a renewal of such requests. VV^e therefore 

 say, in advance, that we desire much to visit some 

 of the marled lands in all the counties where the 

 improvement has been extensive, and where impor- 

 tant fac's in regard lo the effects may be learned. 

 But it is impossible (or us to give to that object so 

 much of our lime and labor. Therefore, in se- 

 lecting the fewer places (or personal examination, 

 we shall be in a great degree guided by the atten- 

 tion that may be yet given to the queries (brmerly 

 published, and the answers sent thereto previous 

 lo our visits. If any one person in- each county 

 will take the trouble of asking for, obtaining and 

 writing down answers from a dozen individuals, 

 the work thus executed and staled in advance 

 of ours, would be a suffifient inducement for us to 

 visit the ground and the individuals, for the pur- 

 pose of completing what the preparatory labor had 

 so far and so well forwarded in execution. All 

 that was formerly desired, and which, if now pcr- 

 Ibrmed, would furnish all the valuable statistical 

 iidbrmaiion on this subject needed, and so impor- 

 tant to the public interests, is that a number of 

 experienced marlers should take a few hours to 

 consider and recollect, and write dovvn their an- 

 swers to the queries, so far as their experience 

 or observation affords materials. But as it 

 seems that it is hopeless to expect this of even 

 half a dozen individuals, it will serve nearly 

 as well if one person only in a county has suffi- 

 cient zeal personally to make the queries of his 



