1839] 



F A R M IC R S ' REGIS T E R 



117 



ThinniniT ilie pliuils and keeping them free from 

 weed:^, and llio snrlai-e of the soil open lo aimos- 

 plieric inHuence, is of great importance. If liie 

 eoil is dry, and rich, and deep, and well pulveriz- 

 ed, f lie labors; of the husbandman vvill yet not 

 avail niu(di, in root crops, if" he sufl'ers his plants 

 to he injudiciously crowded, or to he choked and 

 robbed oftheir ibod by rank growing weeds. And 

 as prevention is better than cure, the thinning and 

 cleaninc processes should be comn.cnced early, 

 and rigidly persevered in, not only that the weeds 

 may n"ot exhaust the teriility of the eoil, hut that 

 the latter growth may not mature their seed, and 

 thus perpetuate the evil. 



In our next number, we shall treat of the cul- 

 ture, &c. oi' the root crops named in the com- 

 mencement of this article. 



From tlie Cultivator. 

 EXPERIMENT IN PLANTING CORN ALTERNA- 

 TION OF CROPS — niODE OF APPLYING GYP- 

 SUM — OF FATTENING HOGS. 



Rockingham coiinly, Va. Dec. 25, 1S38. 

 Sir — A friend of mine, last spring, planted a 

 part of his corn at the depth that corn is usually 

 planted in this part of the country, and in another 

 part ol his tleld, he ran his planting furrows un- 

 usually deep. The land was of unilbrm quality, 

 and the corn in both parts covered with the com- 

 mon quantity of earth, so that the only dilference 

 in planting, consisted in the different depths of 

 the planting llirrows. In the early part ol' the 

 summer, the corn planted in the shallow furrows, 

 grew the best, and promised to make the best crop, 

 but in the latter part of the summer, the season be- 

 came dry, [the drought was severe,] and then the 

 shallow planted corn began to Avither, whilst the 

 deep planted corn kept green, and continued to 

 grow alter the other was almost killed by drought, 

 and made in the end greatly more corn. These iLicls 

 have brought to my attention the question, whether 

 corn should be planted deep or shallow? And 

 by the question, let it be understood, that it is not 

 a question about the depth of earth with which 

 corn shall be covered ; but a question about the 

 depth of the furrow. And to this question, 1 

 would invite the attention of agriculturists, and 

 request the communication of (acts from all who 

 have had any experience in the two modes of 

 planting ; as it is by a comparison of many liicts 

 only, that we can come to any saltj conclusion in 

 agricultural aflairs. I have understood, that it is 

 settled, that in the sandy lands and warm climate 

 of South Carolina, deep planting is best. And if 

 it shall be found that in our more northern cli- 

 mates and clayey soils, deep planting will yield 

 the best crop, there is another advantage attend- 

 ing it, that will recommend it to those who cul- 

 tivate this valuable grain. Corn that is planted 

 deep is not so easily blown down by winds, and 

 will not be bent and tangled at cutting time, like 

 that which is planted on the surface. As this is a 

 question involving no depth of reasoning or sci- 

 entific knowledge, it may perhaps be passed over, 

 with less attention than it deserves. But if it be 

 duly considered, it will be found to be a question 

 of interest, and it is hoped that all who can com- 



municate facts vvill contribute their aid to a correct 

 settlement ol the question. In the case mentioned 

 above, the corn was planted in a sandy soil, of but 

 moderate fertility, and it will occur to all that in 

 experiments which may be detailed, the charac- 

 ter of the soil sliould be given. 



Another ijucstion of interest to myself, is now 

 liji'cing itself upon my attention; and I would be 

 glad to hear the opinions of those, whose experi- 

 ence may enable them to speak upon the subject. 

 To state the question more clearly, 1 will premise 

 that for near twenty years, I have been cultiva- 

 ting a small farm upon the four-field system. 

 wTien it first came to my hands, a part of it, 

 though originally fertile, had been greatly exhaust- 

 ed by bad°management, and all my efforts were 

 directed to its improvement. My crops have been 

 corn, wheat, clover; and by a fiee use of plaster 

 and some degree of economy in saving manure, 

 my flirm is now greatly im[)ioved and may be 

 said to be in good heart. The soil is a tolerably 

 stiff clay, based upon what we call blue slate, 

 the rock lying at a good de|)th below the sur- 

 face. I have preferred mowing lo grazing, and 

 as the hoof is injurious to clay lands, the stock 

 have been kept off the fields as much as possible, 

 when the g'-ound was soli. But little has been 

 sold off the'^farm except wheat, clover seed, cattle 

 and hogs. 



Having but a small fiirm, and being desiroias of 

 cultivating more land than my firm will allow, 

 upon the four-field system, \ am inclined to divide 

 my land into three shills, and this forces upon my 

 attention the question, whether I can preserve the 

 degree of fertility which my land has attained, by 

 cultivating corn, vvheat, and clover, and letting the 

 clover stand but one year, instead of two. By let-- 

 ting the clover stand two years, the land has im^ 

 prov-ed ; and now if it shall stand but one, will the 

 land deteriorate, and will the crop be reduced? 

 Let it be supposed that the corn shall be fed upon 

 the farm ; that the clover shall be in part mown, 

 and in part grazed by hogs ; and that a reasona- 

 ble degree of economy shall be used in saving 

 manure. 



As he who asks information from others, should 

 be willing to communicate any which he may 

 have, and thereby show his readiness to contri- 

 bute to the common fund, I will mention, that my 

 practice, has been to sow plaster broad-cast upon 

 corn, instead of putting it on the hill, believing, 

 that at earing time, which is the most important, 

 the roots have spread over the whole surface, and 

 tliai the plaster being sown broad-cast, will then 

 be in a situation to contribute more to the growth 

 of the corn, than it would be if placed immediately 

 at the stocl<, as it is the ends of the roots that take 

 up nourishment : and believing, too, that when 

 sown in this way, the plaster will benefit the suc- 

 ceeding wheat crop, and the young clover which 

 shall be growing with the wheat. I have indeed 

 thought, that sometimes the youngcloveris there- 

 by saved fi'om being killed by drought. 



For some years past, my attention has been 

 turned to hogs, and having been successful in my 

 efi'orts, I will give you my opinions upon that sub- 

 ject. The more common practice with us, is to 

 let our hogs shift for themselves, or to feed them 

 but sparingly the greater part of the year, and 

 then during the fiatiening season to feed them to 

 excess. We then attempt to do that by force, 



