SANDY POINT ESTATE. — NO. V. 



To the Editor oftlie Farmers' Register. 



Sandy Point, ISth Februarij, 1812. 



The following commuiiiication will preserit a 

 fjeneral summary of tlie farming operations, on 

 this estate (or the year 1841, (exclusive of those 

 which may have been noted in (brmer numbers,) 

 and would have been ,Q)rwarded to you ere now, 

 had not a protracted indisposition and other causes 

 induced delay. 



The 1st of January, 1841, found us with a very 

 considerable proporiion of the corn crop of 1840 

 yet out in the field, being prevented from hauling 

 ofi' the land sown in wheat, by the continued wet 

 weather, and consequent soft state of the ground ; 

 nor was all got in till the 15ih of February, when 

 the last loads were got up, all in good and safe 

 condition. 



Fallowing operations for the corn crop of this 

 year (1841) were fully two-thirds executed prior 

 to the 15th of December preceding, and it proved 

 fortunate that we were so far in advance, lor the 

 unprecedented wet winter eil'ectually put a stop to 

 all such operations. Nor were we again able to 

 resume fallowing earlier than the 22d of February. 

 The general condition of the ground then being 

 wet and heavy, wc were only enabled to plough 

 on drier portions of corn ground, and that, intended 

 for oats. 



At intervals, during the last week of February 

 and 1st day of March, 24 bushels of clover seed 

 were sown amongst wheat ; the ground in good 

 condition (or receiving the seed, which was sown 

 without receivingeilher a subsequent harrowing or 

 rolling, and has generally succeeded vvelf One 

 gallon of seed was sown pe_r acre, and from the 

 apparent abundance of plants has proved to have 

 been an abundant supply. Not more than 30 

 acres of the land thus sown in clover had been 

 rendered calcareous by a preceding application of 

 lime or marl. The larger proporiion was sown on 

 a neutral soil, a portion of which might be consi- 

 dered rich ; but much the greater part of only me- 

 dium quality as to fertility, and a few acres of a 

 lighter soil, decidedly poor. On this latter the 

 stand of plants, as was anticipated, is very sparse, 

 on ihe other and larger portion of neutral soil, the 

 general stand is pretty good, though greatly infe- 

 rior to that sown on land of an exactly similar na- 

 ture, and which had received the benefit o( a 

 dressing of either lime or marl, on which the 

 plants are not only thickly set, but now present a 

 luxuriant appearance. 



Oat sowing was commenced on the 2d of 

 March, but, in consequence of delays from fie- 

 (|uent rains, was not completed until the 30th of 

 the month. On corn nrround of the piecediiiii 

 year there were sown 220 bushels, and 113 on a 

 weed and clover fallow, intended for ploughing 

 under at the proper season, as a preparatory green 

 manuring for wheat. The result ,of this crop was 

 extremely indifferent. Oats suffered (i-om drou-ht; 

 stra;v was generally very shon : and the grain 

 Vol. X.-13 



was also indiflerent — the whole being little short 

 of an entire failure. The seed originally was.tiot 

 ()ure, being a mixture of the common and ruffle 

 oats, not so from choice, but Irom carelessness in 

 storing past seed, or by some other means allow- 

 ing them to become mixed. The sowing of them 

 in this mixed condition, lor two or more years, re- 

 sulted in both varieties becoming degenerate and 

 unprofitable, so much so as to induce an entire 

 change of seed, and that to the common in pre- 

 (crence to the rullle oat. 



Fallowing of corn land was completed on Ihe 

 2d of April, and even at that late season with 

 difficulty ; a wetter, or more Iiarassing season for 

 general farm operations I have never encountered. 

 Planting of corn was begun on the drier and 

 lighter portions of ground on the 27th of April, 

 and, including some delays from rains, was finish- 

 ed on the fourth of May. The extent of ground 

 planted, as stated in a former communication, be- 

 ing about 603 acres. The whole had been care- 

 fully fallowed'by three-horse ploughs. The larger 

 proportion of the several fields being of good soil, 

 the growth of clover and weeds was generally 

 heavy. About 130 acres of the whole had received 

 a dressing of lime or marl, the greater proportion 

 of th© latter immediately before planting. A 

 small portion had been limed some years previous. 

 After fallowing, the wliole was well and finely 

 harrowed, ami where judged necessary was re- 

 iallowed, and again harrou^ed. All being thu^ 

 considered in good condition for receivng the seed, 

 so far as being. in good tilth could be beneficial. 

 Where not liable to be injured by surface or other 

 water, the corn watj planted iu checks, and culti- 

 vated in both ways; but where liable to become 

 wel, particularly in sliffer bottoms, or suflicienlly 

 sloping to be washed by heavy rains, drill planting 

 was adopted. Markers previously passed over 

 the fields, laying ofl' or marking the rows; the 

 seed (iirrows were then opened by one-horse 

 mould-board ploughs, the planters following after 

 at a convenient distance, dropping the corn and 

 filighlly covering it with the,lbot,-and heavy har- 

 lows following alter and finishing the operation. 

 By this mode, in good weather and free from in- 

 terruption, our average planting per day is equal 

 to 150 acres, and the fields are left in neat and 

 good condit'on. The harrowing of the land after 

 corn planting I consider a very desirable object ; 

 the surface of the ground is left in the cleanest 

 and best possible condition, and if properly exe- 

 cuted is little inferior to a course ol ploughing; 

 find it also proves the best deft;nce against the at- 

 tacks of crows that I have yet known. A small 

 portion of bottom land was left without the har- 

 row passing over alter planting. On this spot the 

 rrowe picked up nearly every hill ; but where har- 

 rowed very lew hillb were missing Irom this cause. 

 With the exception of some of the stifier bottoms 

 of Ihe best portion of the fields the general crop 

 started well. On about 125 acres the cut-worm un- 

 fortunately soon commenced its ravages, and on 

 which it was with (ha greatest possible difficulty 

 that corn could &t all be got to stand. Much cf this 



