CALCAREOUS MANURES— APPENDIX. 



Explanatory remarks on the land and its management. 



255 



Quantity of land for cultivation (exclusive of waste parts,) at first, 472 acres ; in- 

 creased by new clearings to 602 by 1826; to 652 in 1832 ; and no more in 1842 though 

 30 more acres have since been cleared and tilled, because as much in 1836 converted to a 

 permanent pasture. All the new land added by clearing was poor, and very few acres 

 of it would have produced more than 10 bushels of corn, or 5 of wheat (without the marl- 

 ing) after the 3 or 4 first crops. Of course the new land added served to reduce instead 

 of increasing the general average product per acre. 



Rotation at first of three-shifts, viz. : 1 corn, 2 wheat on the richer iialf, 3 at 

 rest, and after 1814 not grazed. This changed gradually to 4 shifts (by 1823) of 1 corn, 

 2 wheal, 3 and 4 at rest. 1820 began to fallow for wheat, in part and only in some years. 

 In 1826 or 1827 began to sow the wheat fields generally in clover, and about 1835, to 

 fallow a part (say one -fourth to one-third) of each clover field for wheat the year pre- 

 ceding the crop of corn. This changed in 1840 to a five-shift rotation, one-fifth of the 

 arable land being in corn, two-fifths in wheat (and oats) and two-fifths in clover, or other 

 green or manuring crops. 



The crops of wheat for first six years (1813 to 1818) raised on the richer parts of each 

 shift, making about one-half the land only; the other half being then much too poor to be 

 sown. As these poorest parts were marled, all were sown in wheat, in their turn. 

 Therefore, the earlier average products of wheat per acre as stated, were for the richest 

 half of the land, while since 1822 the average is for the worst as well as the best land of 

 each shift. 



Grazing the clover fields commenced partially about 1830, and increased since. Lat- 

 terly about 20 head of cattle and 100 of hogs on the clover during the grazing season. 



The crops of hay, corn-fodder, &c., being all consumed on the farm, their products 

 have not been estimated. 



Notes on particular crops, 5fc. 



a 1818 to '22 inclusive, 27 acres of rich embanked marsh in corn every year, which 

 served to increase these crops, and their average — which land sunk too lov/ after 1823 

 for corn, and has since been under the tide. 



f In 1818, the first marling. 



1828, oats on 17 acres. 



1829 to 1830, a succession of bad seasons for wheat, or of crops — made much worse 

 (as I afterwards believed,) by the land having been so long kept from being grazed and 

 trodden by cattle. 



* These crops not actually measured, but amounts otherwise estimated. All other 

 quantities measured, unless stati d otherwise. 



§ The richer half of the shift only cultivated in corn this year (1821.) 



§§ Marling nearly extended over all the cleared arable land requiring it, and injurious 

 where too thick. 



From 1825 to 1830 inclusive, the richest land of the farm kept under cotton, which 

 served greatly to lessen the general products, and still more the average product per acre 

 of the wheat crops, during that time. 



|] 13,027 lbs. of cotton, net weight as sold, or 170 lbs. to the acre. 



e 1836, the wheat crop nearly destroyed by rust, as was general through eastern Vir- 

 ginia. 



t Corn crop of 1838 and wheat crop of 1839 very much lessened by the ravages of 

 the chinch-bug. 



c, c, On 26 of these acres the marling was a second application. 



d The crops of oats being consumed on the farm, were never measured, but the quan- 

 tities estimated b}' the land sown, at 20 bushels to the acre. 



e The root crops, (turnips and beets,) and pumpkins and cymblins, occupied part of 

 the most highly enriched land — all consumed on the farm, and products not estimated. 



b The crop of corn of 1842 stated upon supposition, it not being half gathered when 

 this article was prepared. 



