634 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



country's well-doing. But this we will say, that 

 if the people of Virginia had in ail past time de- 

 voted to the sustaining of agricultural interests, 

 and agricultural improvement, but one-tenth pan 

 of the zeal and eti'ort which they have bestowed 

 on the business of making or attempting to make 

 presidents, we should have now a condition of 

 agriculture as flourishing as in fact it is depressed, 

 and the supposed abstraction from political labors 

 would scarcely have rendered the action of go- 

 vernment worse than it has been. But the pre- 

 sent contest, which agitates the whole country, 

 will now soon be at an end, (for which we are 

 truly thankful,) and tJmi, if ever, the members of 

 the agricultural class may perhaps bestow some 

 slight attention upon their own great interests. 

 Again, however, our fears surpass our hopes. 

 The state of collapse, and prostration of energy, 

 that will succeed the present high-wrought political 

 excitement, will be very unfavorable to induce 

 raen to give proper attention to a matter compara- 

 tively so tame and uninteresting as the general 

 agricultural improvement of their country. 



Still it is possible that we may be mistaken, and 

 that there is better ground lor hope than we can 

 venture to assume. If, indeed, many intelligent 

 men possess the proper feeling on which to form 

 and to keep in operation a state agricultural society. 

 there can never occur a time in which their proper 

 action for that purpose would be more beneficial 

 than now. Such a movement, properly made, 

 mi^ht induce the legislature to do something lor 

 the same great end ; and if that aid, as heretolbre, 

 should still be denied, such a society, as might well 

 exist in Virginia, if operating as such a society 

 should operate, might in a great degree supply the 

 want of governmental action. But, as in all 

 cases of agricultural societies, every thing of re- 

 sults would depend on the working of the society ; 

 and according to its first plan of operation, the 

 same society might prove either worthless, even 

 injurious, or in the highest degree beneficial to the 

 improvement of agriculture. 



We will not presume as yet to propose a meet- 

 ing for the purpose of forming a state agricultural 

 Bociety, But we respectflilly beg of all persons 

 who are impressed with the importance of the 

 measure, and are disposed to bear their share of 

 the joint labors, to urge the matter upon others, 

 and in some manner to indicate the extent of such 

 wishes. If informed of any sufficient grounds for 

 the movement, we will take upon ourselves here- 

 after to invite a meeting for this object at Rich- 

 mond, at some specified and early time, during the 

 approaching session of the legislature. 



CROPS, REAPING MACHINE, &C. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Easteni Shore of Md. Oct. 20, 1S40. 

 I gee by the Register that the report of the cot- 



ton crop to the south is very unfavorable, and also 

 the wheat crop in Virginia ; and I regret to say 

 that the markets will find a diminished supply of 

 wheat and Indian corn from this part of the coun- 

 try. The crop of wheat is short, and defective in 

 quality, and 1 doubt much if the crop of Indian 

 corn will equal half the product of last year. 

 There has been partial sutlering^ fVom drought ; 

 but the great injury has been sustained from the 

 cool season, which has been probably fell more lo 

 the north than with us: though, where lands are 

 highly improved, Indian corn seems greatly to re- 

 sist the influence of a bad season. 



I understand several of Hussey's reapers were 

 carried into Virginia, and used during the present 

 year; the opinion (brnied of ihem by judicious 

 men is a matter of much interest, in the wheat 

 growing regions, and I have been disappointed in 

 finding no account of the work done by them, in 

 your state.* 



The answers given lo your queries in relation lo 

 the beneficial efi'ecls of marl are highly satisfac- 

 tory; and I can add my testimony as to ihe im,- 

 proving effecls on ray farm. VV. C. 



PUBLICATION OF THE " SOUTHERN BIAGA- 

 ZINE AND MONTHLY REVIEW." 



Our subscribers and friends will see by the ad- 

 vertisement on the cover of this number, thai, in 

 addition to the Farmers' Register, we propose, if 

 sustained, to undertake the publication of another 

 and distinct monthly magazine and review, de- 

 voted to literature, science, and general politics. 

 This is not the place to speak of matters so foreign 

 to the plan and contents of the Farmers' Register; 

 and the subject is mentioned here, only so lar as 

 in connexion with the interest and well-being of 

 this, the already established publication. 



Many persons may infer that the successful pro- 

 gress of the new undertaking will be detrimental 

 to the character and usefulness of the older, by the 

 publisher of both being thereby overburthened 

 with labor, both of body and mind. This is a mis- 

 take; and to ward off its possible eff'ect on the 

 Farmers' Register, we beg leave here to explain 

 the grounds of the directly opposite position, viz : 

 that the direction of, and editorial labor and diffi- 

 culty of carrying on two publications of such diffe- 

 rent plans, together, will be less than of the existing 

 one alone. Some knowledge of the general diffi- 

 culties of the printing part of the business, in the 

 southern states, would go far to establish this para- 

 dox, even in advance of the explanation to be of- 

 fered. 



When the Farmers' Register was first com- 

 menced, the undertaker designed only to be the 

 proprietor, without even changing his then country 



* We shall be pleased to have the testimony, desired 

 above, furnished for publication. We have heard that 

 while those who have tried Hussey's reaping machine 

 concur as to its perfect performance, on wheat clear of 

 moisture from rain or dew, yet that judicious farmers 

 differ as to the economy of its use.— Ed. 



