652 



F A 11 M E U S ' REGISTER. 



in othera, the common name of a well known 

 grass ofone region being given lo a different grass 

 in another r-egion. What is wanting, is not only to 

 give the botanical name and character and scientific 

 description of each grass, but also a description suit- 

 ed to those persons who have no botanical know- 

 ledge — and a list of all the vulgar names known, 

 and their several localities. The preparation ol 

 such a descriptive list of grasses, or even the fur- 

 nishing of any materials /or such a one, will be a 

 valuable aid to agricultural improvement. 



QCESTIOKS ANU SUGGESTIOJf S. 



For the Farmers' Register. 



"Gentlemen, we have met according to notice, 

 and i hope we can all take time to have a chat on 

 farming. But before we begin, 1 will tell you that 

 I am a very inquisitive It^llovv and may hurt some 

 of your feelings ; but as my object is improvement, 

 I hope none of you will take insult until your 

 works have been weighed in the balance. 



"Mr. A., where do you live, and what do you 

 follow 1" 



" I reside near James River, in the neighbor- 

 hood of a mill, where 1 can always get the best 

 price (or wheat. My ground, although of medi- 

 um quality, is well adapted to this gram ; and the 

 carriage costing me but little, I make it my prin- 

 cipal crop, arjd find it profitable. I have Ibur'or 

 live field?, and crop each in rotation, by which 

 method 1 am enabled to go ahead with but liltle 

 manuie; indeed, as I keep but lew cattle, I can 

 rankft but little manure." 



" Permit me to ask, if your cross fences are not 

 very expensive, and if bushes, briers and weeds 

 do not pester you V 



'•I answer all in the affirmative; but what bet- 

 ter can I do 7" 



''One more question, and I am done with you 

 for the present. Wliat think you of only three 

 fields, tiuis extending the space for the aciion ol 

 llie plough, spreading maiiure and harvcsiing 

 from the greater and better portions, and turning 

 under a green crop of oats, rye, pens, Indian corn, 

 buckivlicat, or the like, on that which is poor'?" 



"I nmst confess this looks more like [)ulveiizinf 

 the ground, destroying the pests and bringing my 

 fields to unilbrmity of character." 



"Mr. B., where is your residence, and what 

 your occupation 1" 



"I live in the big mountains, about sixty miles 

 from market, and make wheat and tobacco for 

 Bale." 



" How much does it cost you to get your crops 

 to market V 



" J do not exactly know, but when the purchaser 

 nnd carrier are done with me, 1 have but little 

 left." 



" By keeping your steep grounds in constant 

 cuhiv.iiion, does it not wash mto gullies'?" 



" VVhar is that to you." 



" Mr. C, where is your residence and what 

 your business'?" 



" I am neighbor to Mr. B., and raise and fatten 

 stock for market." 



" What does it cost you to carry to market ?" 



" Not much ; for aa we all start on foot and in 

 good plight, we have no shattering and breaking 

 down on the way." 



" Are your lands improving?" 



" Yes, they are nearly as rich as heart could 

 wish." 



" May I ask you a few more questions 1" 



"O yes, just as many as you please." 



" Then as you are so affable 1 will only ask you 

 one, which may answer all my purpose — how do 

 you manage your domestic matters V 

 ~ " I have an extensive mountain field, on which 

 my sheep graze about eight months, and my cat- 

 tle about six months in the year. My bottom 

 lands are cuhivaled in Indian corn, rye, root vege- 

 tables and liay meadow. My hills are appropri- 

 ated to rye, oats and grazing grass. Through the 

 winter my cattle are secured in a neat yard, for 

 making manure; and my sheep run on the grass 

 and rye. I have only two fields on my bottoms 

 from which I harvest grain, these being in corn 

 and rye alternatel}'. The partition of these fields 

 is inmicdialely at the cow yard and horse stable; 

 so that the manuie is moved with the least possi- 

 ble expense and damage. One field is manured 

 and planted in ."orn, at the last working of which 

 rye is sown, and the next year the other is 

 managed in the same way. When the rye ia 

 harvested from the first mentioned, it is immedi- 

 ately ploughed again and rcsowed with rye ; the 

 remains of which are turned under in sprinj? in pre- 

 paration for corn ; thus in two years I take from 

 either field a crop of corn, a crop of rye, and have 

 good grazing both winters. By means of canals 

 and conduits, I water my corn and rye as required, 

 in the months of August and Sef>lember; and 

 from sufficient experience, I knovv, that although 

 corn will not bear much water when young, yet 

 when beginning lo silk and tassel, and afierward, 

 il cannot easily be saturated, nor indeed can young 

 r3'e ; nevertheless it is best, parlicularlj' on clay, to 

 divert the water at intervals, so the earth and roota 

 may take breath." 



" Mr. D., what is your occupation, and where 

 do you live?" 



" I will tell you when I get a drink of grog." 

 (exit.) 



" Gentlemen, can one of you tell me who this 

 Mr. D. is'?" 



" lie is a good kind of a good for nothing crea- 

 ture, who makes a business of lurking about the 

 grog-shops, thus spending his money, and time, 

 while his wife and children are suffering." 



" Mr. E., I am. hafipy in making you known to 

 this company as a scientific and industrious farm- 

 er ; be so obliging as to give us a full history of 

 your works'?" 



" I did not come here for the purpose of mak- 

 ing communications ; my neighbors call me Kly- 

 ogg, and like him I intend to live and die." 



" But do you not know that for his selfishness, 

 the great Klyogg died heavily laden with con- 

 tempt'?" 



" Mr. F., give us a history of your affairs 7" 



" With cheerfulness I will, particularly for the 

 edification of Mr. E. #*#***#s^»»." 



" Mr. G., where do you reside, and how do you 

 manage 7" 



" I am located in middle Virginia, and have 

 abundant space for operations. I keep more horses 

 than laborers, and my ploughs never etop except 



