1835.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



much hard work, would cost as much as mules — 

 being obliged to be fed with grain, &c, and then 

 not capable of performing one-third the labor. His 

 mode of supporting this extra team, was in the 

 following way. During the winter they were 

 penned in the usual way that we do our siock, ex- 

 cept having a more complete shelter to protect 

 them from the weather. These pens were kept 

 well littered with corn stalks, &c. which he con- 

 sidered as good food as they required — and he 

 gave them rarely any grain. After the grass 

 put out they were of no more trouble or expense, ex- 

 cept when used. At particular seasons when the 

 services of the whole were required, you could 

 have your work done speedily and effectually. I 

 concur in the opinion of this worthy gentleman, 

 and do believe if we were to keep a double team 

 of mules, and abandon almost the use of oxen, 

 (for from the peculiarities of our situation and cli- 

 mate, particularly in the tide-water section of Vir- 

 ginia, they are comparatively of but little value) 

 we should find it greatly to our advantage. What 

 few I have, eat more grain during winter, than my 

 mules, and cannot do one-third the work — mules 

 are hardier and more long lived animals, and 

 fed in this way, would make more manure, and 

 that better. 



The next objection which W. B. H. says is of 

 a formidable character, is that "the more valuable 

 crop, corn, is sacrificed in part, to the crop of 

 wheat, which is less safe." 



As I have before said, gentlemen who have 

 raised objections to this system, have furnished 

 no written data by which to be governed. I shall 

 therefore allow in my comparisons the most liberal 

 crops that I have ever heard of, any year, under 

 the three-field rotation, and compare them with 

 my own under the ibur-field; and in this compari- 

 son shall be governed, also, in what 1 believe my 

 own estate would make under the same system, 

 and under the most favorable circumstances. In 

 getting an average price of the crops of both 

 wheat and corn for the last five years, I have been 

 furnished with such as I may quote, by reference 

 to the journal of a friend, who has regularly sold 

 both crops. It will be unnecessary to state the 

 prices each year, but take an average for the 

 last five years — 



The average price of wheat for that 



time has been, per bushel, $1 09£ cts. 



The average price of corn for that 



time has been, per barrel, 2 93£ 



He says in a note, "the above prices are what I 

 have sold at each year; but I ought to remark, 

 that the prices of wheat are rather under the 

 highest prices that wheat has sold for some years, 

 as I did not always get the highest price for wheat; 

 but the prices of corn are a little over the prices 

 generally got in each year; as I have generally 

 got a little over the market price for corn, as my 

 corn is white and very nicely cleaned, and has a 

 very high character in Petersburg." 



When upon a former occasion it was stated by 

 me, that one-fourth of a farm under the four-field 

 and fallow system would produce more corn than 

 one-third under the three-field, it was supposing 

 the farm cultivated under the old plan, which I 

 believe is still kept up, of grazing the one-third 

 bare. For if a farm under that course has ever 

 received the generous assistance of a standing 



pasture, I have certainly never seen or heard of 

 it. Persons who pursue this course, are too te- 

 nacious of their soil for tillage, to appropriate it to 

 so wasteful a purpose, as they think. And 1 am 

 led to such a conclusion, al^o, from the knowledge 

 and belief, that under the four-field course, the 

 crops would increase from the increase of fertility; 

 and under ihe other, would diminish for the want 

 of this improvement — and still think one-fourth of 

 a farm, in a series of years, under the four-field 

 system, will produce more corn, than under the 

 old three-field course. I may revert to this again. 

 I will now undertake to show to the satisfaction, 

 I hope, of all impartial persons, that the corn crop 

 is not so valuable a one as that of wheat. To 

 effect this object, I shall give my average crops 

 for the last five years, (or rather will give four 

 crops) and will omit the crop of wheat of 1833, as 

 I do not believe any one in this section of Virginia 

 would admit that as any thing like an average 

 crop, it having been destroyed by incessant ialls 

 of rain for nearly six weeks, and that when the 

 wheat was nearly matured, an event never known 

 with us before. My crop of that year, however, 

 shall be taken into the calculation in its proper 

 place, and allow the difference it would make in 

 comparing the relative value of the two crops for 

 the whole term of five years. 1 will first take the 

 crops of wheat for the years 1830, 1, 2, and 4, 

 and the crops of corn for four years also. I will 

 remark, that my crop of corn of 1833 was 616 

 barrels. I was advised to stack the corn on the 

 land while sowing wheat, that I might get through 

 the quicker in seeding; it Avas the first time I had 

 ever done so, and do believe I lost 100 barrels by 

 the birds and wet weather; the land was scarcely 

 ever in a condition to drive over without destroy- 

 ing much wheat, and on our narrow eleven feet 

 beds, the carts, &c, filled up our water furrows so 

 much, that I was until the spring before I suc- 

 ceeded in housing it. Corn should always be 

 removed from the land intended for wheat, if pos- 

 sible. Our winters are so wet, that there will be 

 much loss from depredations: and it is a crop 

 which easily decays from exposure to the weather 

 too long. 



My average crops of wheat for the 

 above mentioned four years have 

 been 3114 bushels, which at the 

 average price as above quoted is, $3409 83 

 My average crops of com for four 

 years, viz. 1830, 1, 2, and 3, are 435 

 barrels, which at the average price 

 above quoted is, 1275 28 



Gross amount under four-field course, 

 if the entire crops had been sold, $4685 11 



Now 133^ acres land in wheat under 

 the three-field course, allowing an 

 average of 12 bushels per acre, is 

 1600 bushels, which at the average 

 price for wheat as above is, - $ 1752 00 



133| acres in corn, allowing an aver- 

 age of 5 barrels per acre, is 666 bar- 

 rels, which at the average price as 

 above is, 1954 71 



83706 71 



Balance in favor of four-field system, §978 40 



