1839] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



181 



was, that the crop was shortened fully one-third, 

 if not one-half I measured about four-fifths of 

 an acre of the best, and found it to yield eight bar- 

 rels. Several stalks had from four to eight ears. 

 I shelled and measured the corn obtained from 

 one stalk with six ears, and it turned out two 

 pints. Now basing a calculation upon this, I 

 think it can be proved that on suitable land, rich 

 low-grounds, no corn in use among us can be 

 more productive. On such land the proper dis- 

 tance would be five feet by eighteen inches, two 

 stalks in a hill. Planted in this way, there would 

 be on an acre 5808 hills, each with two stalks. 

 Supposing the two stalks to yield six ears or two 

 pints, which I think might certainly be calculated 

 on, if^ the flat land were rich, the product to the 

 acre would be 182 bushels, or 36f barrels. At 

 only three ears, or one pint, to the hill, the product 

 would be 18^ barrels, a product which even a 

 James River planter might be contented with. 

 This corn has two other recommendations; it fur- 

 nishes a greater quantity of fodder, and matures 

 sooner than the common kinds. The first results 

 from its very great height, and the second from 

 the smallness of the ear and husk. Though I 

 think it an invaluable species for rich flat-land, I 

 cannot recommend it for high-land, on which it 

 seems to lose its capacity of maturing more shoots 

 than the common sorts, whilst at the same time, 

 it suffers more from drought. 



Wm. H. Harrison. 



CURIOUS EXTRACTS FROM THE ANCIENT 

 LAWS AND RECORDS OF VIRGINIA. 



CContinued from page 717, vol. VI.) 



The legislators of the colony had no idea of the 

 free-trade doctrine, nor of the importance of leav- 

 ing the people to direct their own industry, as the 

 best means of increasing the general wealth. 

 Whatever evil or inconvenience was found, whe- 

 ther in excess or deficiency df any product, 

 straightway the legislative power went to work, 

 by some compulsory direction or prohibition of in- 

 dustry, or use of capital, to remedy the evil. Of 

 course their efforts were generally of no avail. It 

 has been seen that the exportation of horses had 

 been repeatedly forbidden, for the purpose of in- 

 creasing the stock. In 1668, either in conse- 

 quence of such encouragement, or (as we should 

 infer,) in spite of it, the increase of horses had 

 been so great, that the prohibition to export was 

 repealed. But this was not deemed sufficient; for 

 the next year (1669) the assembly passed a law 

 forbidding the importation of horses, under penal- 

 ty of their seizure and confiscation. This act 

 commences as follows : 



"Whereas the last assembly partly to restraine 

 the numerous increase of horses now rather grow- 

 ing burthensome then any way advantagious to the 

 country, partly to encourage trade, did permit that 

 mares might be exported, this assembly takeing 

 care that both the ends mi^ht be advanced as 



aforesaid, have enacted, and by these presents do 

 enact, that noe horses or mares after the last of 

 December next, shall be by any person or per- 

 son imported or brought into this colony, from any 

 other plantation or government whatsoever." — 

 Statues at Large Vol. ii. p. 271. 



Again this year, the making of silk was invited 

 by a new act of encouragement, as follows : 



"Whereas the advancement for the makeing 

 of silke will undoubtedly tend greately, as to the 

 present honour and reputation, soe to the future 

 great benefitt and profitt of the country, Jt is en- 

 acted that the former encouragement of ffifty 

 pounds of tobacco for every pound of wound silke 

 be allotted as formerly out of the publique." — p. 

 272. 



The same year another act for destroying 

 wolves was passed which required of the tributa- 

 ry Indians, in proportion to the number of hunters 

 belonging to each tribe, or settlement, a certain 

 number of wolves' heads. The following com- 

 mencement of the act sets forth the evil to be re- 

 medied, and the apportionment of the duty re- 

 quired. 



"Since it is most evident that the inhabitants of 

 this country doe receive dayly damage by wolves^ 

 and noe fitt way or temper yet found for the de- 

 struction or diminishing of them. It is enacted that 

 the Indian tributaries be enjoyned and assessed to 

 bring in a certaine number annually, that is to 

 say : 



p. 274-5. 



The fence law in 1670, was somewhat modified, 

 in violation of its general principle and policy, and 

 consequently, with just so much deviation towards 

 the support of justice. However, the restraints 

 imposed were upon the stock belonging generally 

 to the rich — from which it would seem that there 

 was a little leaven of Inco-focoism at work in the 

 colony, even in the time and under the rule of that 



