364 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



present, that plant conslitutes one-eighth part of 

 ihe timber of the place. Though I can give no 

 personal testimony in support ol' this lac-i, I not- 

 withstanding believe it to be true." — p. 305— G. 



* * # * * 



And Thomas F. Learning writes thus to Judge 

 Peters : 



" For some years past I have been in the 

 habit of visiting some estates wliich belong to 

 our family, in the county of Cape May, New 

 Jersey, and have remaiUed myself, and heard 

 it as a common (act, that wherever ihe pine 

 timber is cut olT, oaks invariably and hickories 

 very frequently will spring up, and this is also 

 the case where the timber has been taken oH 

 by fire ; the hunting grounds, which lay in the 

 upper [)ari of Cupe IVlay and lower part of Cum- 

 berland counties, are set on fire very Irequenily, 

 in the spring, lo burn the under brush to facili- 

 tate hunting in the autumn ; and although the 

 timber is altogether pine, yet no pine springs up 

 after the burning ; while oaks and hickories 

 invariably do. On the Penn tract, lying a (ew 

 miles below Bridgeiown, in Cumberland county, 

 there have been for several years straggling 

 settlers, who have taken possession, and cleared 

 some parts they have tilled ; and other parts have 

 been suflfered to grow up. Nearly the whole ol 

 this tract was pine timber ; and wherever it has 

 been cut, oaks and hickories have grown up ; 

 and for several miles along the post road, which 

 runs through it, I have seen black oaks stripped 

 of the bark (for the purpose of tanning, &c.) 

 where 1 have been credibly informed there was 

 nothing but pine timber a few years since. If my 

 statement of this well known (ijct will be of any 

 service to you. you have my free assent to use it 

 as suits your purpose, and in conclusion I will ob- 

 serve that 1 am convinced there is not a man 

 of any observation in the counties of Cumberland, 

 Gloucester and Ciipe May, but will confirm what 

 I have mentioned." — p. 308-— 9. 



reasonable to expect that grass could grow under 

 such a system ! And yet, because it did not, 

 our lands were denounced, our farmers began to 

 believe the oil repeated slander — and many emi- 

 grated in quest ol the grassy regions of the west. 

 Happily fur us who remain, it has been discover- 

 ed that irijustice has been committed — that under 

 kind treatment and a sanative system, our lands 

 rnay agam smile in verdure — that the long-legged 

 hog may be shoved asitle by ifie chubby breeds 

 which yield the nice round ham, and Durhams 

 and Devons may chew the cud, reposing on beds 

 of luxuriant clover. This is a picture which we 

 may realize t)y careful aitenlion lo the growth of 

 artificial craases.* 



ESSAY ON THE ARTIFICIAL GRASSES SUITED 

 TO OUR CLIMATE AND SOIL. THE LEAST 

 INJURIOUS MODE OF GRAZING. THE MODE 

 OF PREPARING MEADOWS, PRESERVING 

 THEM, AND MAKING HAY. 



For the FaririRrs' Register. 

 1. A delusion has long prevailed, that our sec- 

 tion of Virginia is not adapted to the growth of 

 grass. Aliundant and incontestable evidence can 

 be adduced to prove, that wherever well-directed 

 efforts have been made to promote its growth, 

 they have met with success. The delusion has 

 arisen from observing the efi'ects of tliat scourg- 

 ing tillage which has been practised, it is be- 

 lieved, ever since our noble forests surrendered to 

 the woodsman's axe. When our lands ceased 

 to produce good crops of tobacco, vegetation was 

 prevented or destroyed fijr !he benefit of the corn 

 crop, wheat followed corn, hogs and cattle were 

 the gleaners of the wheat field, and every sprig 

 of grass which came up during the remainder of 

 that and the whole of the next year was greedily 

 devoured by a hungry stock, which roamed in 

 what was misnamed the pasture field, liow un- 



2. Experience shows that red clover is well adapt- 

 ed to most of the arable lands of eastern Virginia. 

 It grows best in a dry soil. Indeed, none of the 

 artificial grasses will flourish in wet lands. Let 

 one gallon of clover seed be sown to the acre, as 

 early in the spring as may be deemed safe from 

 freezing weather. If the land be harrowed when 

 the seed is sown, it will probably be better pro- 

 tected from the late si)ring (rosts. Farmers who 

 have done this, think the wheat as well as clover 

 is improved by this process ; but it is generally 

 inconvenient at this season lo pursue it, and may 

 be dispensed with.t The ground will then be 

 found covered with cracks to admit the seeds, 

 which the first Yain will cover. When the land 

 has been sown vviih clover for a series of years, 

 half a gallon to ihe acre will be sufficient ; but 

 in sowing lots for cutting or grazing heavily, two 

 gallons, and even 2| gallons, are recommended 

 by skilful farmers. 



3. To insure the growth of clover, a Irberal use 

 of plaster is indispensable. !n a rich soil, and 

 with a favorable season, it may grow without the 

 aid of plaster — but it is likely to assume a yellow, 

 sickly hue, even if it survive the summer's sun. 

 The best mode of sowing is lo soak the seed one 

 night in water, and mix with it double its quan- 

 tity of plaster. On land where the soil had been 

 worn bare, and completely impoverished by 

 severe cropping and grazing, this method lias 

 produced a fine growth. 1 would recommend 

 this practice to be always pursued. J It is Ibllow- 



* Doctor Arclier, whose farm is near Fortress Mon- 

 roe, Old Point Comfort, gives strong testimony on 

 this subjpct. Ill the 1st vol. of the Farmers' Regis- 

 ter, p. 399, he says, " I do not hazard too much when 

 1 say, that timothy, herds-grass, orchard grass, tall 

 meadovv oat, leather grass, clover, and lucerne, all of 

 which I have fairly tried, thrive as well and grow as 

 luxuriantly as in most paits of our extensive country. 

 For five years I have turned my attention very much 

 to this branch of agriculture ; two or three interprising 

 gentlemen in this, and in Norfolk county, have done 

 the same. The charm is now broken, all acknow- 

 ledge that our hay is as good as ever was imported 

 from the eastward ; and in a few years, 1 hope to see 

 our old fields transformed into profitable meadows." 



f When sUty, glazed wheat land is sown, the use 

 of the harrow is almost indispensable to loosen the 

 soil for the reception of the seeds, else they bound 

 into the water furrow, or lie exposed to sun and frost, 

 and, being unable to insert their roots, perish after 

 they have vegetated. 



f The writer has a fine lot of clover, which was 

 sown after rye on the 8th of September last. He 



