512 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



Virginia will be about 55000 hhds. ; the largest 

 (or many years. A great number ol' vessels are 

 now loading for all pans of Europe, and the ware- 

 houses will soon be nearly emptied. 



Exchanse on New York continues at 3 to 3^ 

 prem. : and on England 9| to 10. X. 



August 24, 1840, 



WHEAT AFTER OATSi 



Prom the Lexington (Va.) Gazette. 



In preparing the ground lor this crop, many 

 farmers are in the practice of turning down the 

 stubble as soon as the oat crop is taken off, with 

 the view, as they say, that the oats left on the 

 ground may vegetate, and be ploughed under for 

 the wheat crop. I have tried this plan several 

 times, and in no instance have I succeeded well. 

 My wheat was always too light on the ground, 

 and in one or two instances (the winter being 

 mild) the crop was mixed with oats. The most 

 successful method with me, and one by which 1 

 have never failed of a lull crop, is this : If the 

 season is dry, immediately alter harvest, harrow 

 down your stubble that all the seed may come in 

 contact with the ground— but if late the harrow- 

 ing may be dispensed with— then turn in stock 

 enough to eat it close and glean it well. Sheep 

 and hogs are prelijrable, but cattle and horses 



may be added if necessary, though heavy stock 

 should be kept off in wet weather. The equi- 

 noxial rains of September seldom fail to vegetate 

 any grain that may be left by the stock. About 

 the first week in October plough 3'our land as deep 

 as you can, taking care to cover every thing that 

 may be on the surface, and then sow and harrow 

 your wheat, first in the direction of the furrows 

 and afterwards across them. 



It may be asked, why is this mode preferable 

 to (he usual practice. I answer, because by the 

 usual practice, which is two" ploughings, the 

 ground is made too light, and the comparatively 

 exhausted surface soil which produced the oat 

 crop, is thrown up to produce the crop of wheat. 

 The consequence is that much of the wheat fails. 

 On the contrary, if the oat stubble be ploughed 

 but once, the surlace soil which had produced the 

 oat crop is thrown under, and the vegetable mat- 

 ter which was turned under by the spring plough^ 

 ing, is again thrown up in the very best state lor 

 the wheat crop. There is too, obviously, a great 

 saving of labor. 



These views are founded on my owh experience 

 and observation. If you think others may be be- 

 nefited by them, you may give them a place in 

 your farmers' department. 



John Ruff. 



P. S. As oat land is apt to be too mellow, it 

 ought to be left with more clods on it than any 

 other preparation. 



BgiajaBfluymflWimgaiBW-aa gaHgagBaEassag^ 



CONTENTS OF THE FARMERS REGISTER, NO. VIII. VOL. VIII. 



ORIGINAL COIVIMUNICA.TIONS. 



Observations on the earliest marled districts of 

 Prince George connty ... 



Queries to ascertain the action of shell marl 

 as manure, and answers as to the oldest 

 marled district in Prince George coun- 

 ty, Va. - - 



Answers to Queries : 

 I. By James B. Cocke, of Bonaccord 

 ir. By John B. Bland, of Fountains 



III. By ¥A\v. A. Marks, of" Burley 



IV. By John H. Marks, in regard to Old 



Town farm . . - 



V. By Lt. Harrison H. Cocke, U. S. N., 



in regard to Evergreen farm 



VI. By Elgin Russell 



VII. By Dr. Bland, of Jordan's Point 



VIII. By Edmund Wilkins, of Springfield 



farm .... 



IX. By William Wilkins 



X. By Richard M. Harrison, of Hunt- 



ington farm ... 



XI. By Edmund Ruffin, in regard to 



Coggin's Point farm 



Concluding remarks, on the Queries and An- 

 swers ..... 



Cautions for purchasers of silk reels. Sdk 

 culture of this year ... 



Marling in North Carolina 



Editorial reply to " Query" - 



The oppression of the fence law, and the 

 dawn of rslief .... 



Page 

 484 



4S9 



491 

 492 

 492 



493 



493 

 494 

 494 



495 

 495 



495 



496 



497 



.500 

 500 

 502 



.504 



Remarks and inquiries in regard to Mr. Sel- 



den's change of rotation ... 



Monthly commercial report - - - 



SELECTIONS. 



Potato planting .... 



Making and curing hay ... 



Journal of a recent visit to the principal vine- 

 yards of Spain and France — concluded 



Articles used as food for horses 



Sun-flower plant .... 



The hollow horn .... 



Recapitulation of the effects of calcareous ma- 

 nures ..... 



Bots, and their cure . - - - 



Agriculture in Massachusetts — morals of labor 



To preserve cucumbers from insects - 



Chicory ..... 



Corn sown for forage - - 



Destroying bushes - - 



Berkshire hogs .... 



Consideration on the means of diffusing know- 

 ledge in marling in South Carolina 



Stagnant water .... 



Agricultural moralities ... 



Berkshire hogs .... 



The small farms of Belgium - - - 



Extraordinary sale of fox-hounds 



Wild silk-worms of Assam, and their products 



Hens' Eggs 

 \ Wheat after oats 



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