FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 1. 



Cr. — difference in the "heavy item of 



expense" in seed wheat, - - 62 88 



Dr. — difference in seed corn and clover 



seed, - 15 52 



$900 00 



Now here is a difference of $900 upon a small 

 farm in favor of the four-field and fallow system, 

 after allowing an average of 12 bushels of wheat 

 per acre, and 5 barrels of corn, for the above years, 

 which I trust will be considered a liberal one. In- 

 cluding my crop of wheat of 1833, which was 

 2300 bushels, (and which God grant I could take 

 into the calculation as an average crop, for it pro- 

 mised to be at that advanced season, May and June, 

 to be much the best I ever had,) it would make 

 the balance in favor of the four-field $722. I 

 have given the above average of 12 bushels of 

 wheat, per acre, and 5 barrels of corn, as they 

 are the best I have ever heard of any year, under 

 the three-field course, and hope it will elicit from 

 others, a more correct statement of their average 

 for the years above quoted. Under my present 

 impression, I do not think their crops have aver- 

 aged 10 bushels of wheat, or 4 barrels of corn, 

 where lime has not been used very extensively, 

 if even then. Several good farms on James 

 River (possessed of the rich mellow soils, and the 

 great natural fertility of mine,) have not aver- 

 aged 8 bushels of wheat, or 3| barrels of corn 

 under the three-field course, as I have been told 

 by their owners. Why is this so? Most assuredly 

 in consequence of a defective system. 



Again, let us continue our comparisons: my 

 fallow for wheat has averaged 21^ bushels per 

 acre, and my corn land in wheat within a fraction 

 of 10 bushels, viz. -j^Vo* You are told that corn 

 will produce more money in a series of years, from 

 the same land, than wheat— now let us see: 



100 acres of fallow for 4 years has 

 produced 2133 bushels, which at 

 $1 09i cts. i Sj $2335 63 



100 acres in corn for 4 years, an aver- 

 age of 5 barrels, is 500 barrels at 

 $2 931 cts , [ S} 1467 50 



Amount in favor of fallow for wheat, $868 13 



An average of the two crops from fal- 

 low and corn land for wheat, is ra- 

 ther over 154 bushels per acre, 100 

 acres at this is 1557 bushels, at aver- 

 age price is, - 



The crop of corn from 100 acres 

 would be, 



!1704 91 

 1467 50 



#237 41 



So that an average of the two crops of wheat 

 from the fallow and corn land, will amount to more 

 than the product of 100 acres from corn as a first 

 crop. Again, let us see the difference between 

 fallow first for wheat, and succeeded by corn; and 

 corn the first crop, and succeeded by wheat. 



Wheat from fallow field of 100 acres, 

 an average of 2133 bushels at 

 81 09^ is, $2335 63 



Corn after wheat 435, on an average 

 St $2 93£ is, .... 1276 72 



Amount from fallow for wheat, and 

 corn after it, - - - - $3612 35 



Corn as a first crop, 5 barrels per acre 

 at #2 931 i S} .... 1467 50 



Wheat after corn at 12 bushels per 

 acre is, 1314 00 



$2781 50 



Balance in favor of fallow for wheat, $830 85 



But before concluding these comparisons, I will 

 state a fact which will be someAvhat more at home 

 to W. B. H. The year I purchased this estate, 

 (1829) my best field was put in corn after clover, 

 by my worthy predecessor, (whose capacity to 

 manage any crop, I am sure W. B. H, will ac- 

 knowledge, and allow me to add my testimony in 

 his behalf.) This field of 100 acres produced, 

 under his directions, 7 or 8 barrels of corn to the 

 acre, (I do not know the precise amount, but will 

 say eight barrels:) now, from the price of com 

 that year, (1830) this 800 barrels would not have 

 brought $1500, But we will allow the average 

 as I have before done, and the amount that the 

 800 barrels would have brought, would be $2348. 

 1 put the very same land in wheat after clover in 

 the fall of 1831, and the crop was 3000 bushels, 

 which brought me £1000 — more than double, if 

 the crops had been sold as they were made; but 

 we will carry out the average prices — 

 The product of this 100 acres from fal- 

 low, 3000 bushels at $1 09| is, $3285 00 

 The product of the same land in corn, 

 800 barrels at $2 93i is, - - 2348 00 



$937 00 



Here is a difference in favor of the wheat crop of 

 $937, from the very same land, and both after 

 clover. 1 hope that this statement alone will 

 satisfy my friend that he is mistaken in supposing 

 that the same land will produce more money from 

 corn than from wheat, where an equal surface is 

 devoted to each crop, 



I am very sure that any of our James River 

 lands (of course I do not mean our light sandy 

 soils,) that will produce 4 barrels of corn to the 

 acre, will also produce 20 bushels of wheat upon 

 a good clover fallow, if well prepared and seeded. 

 And do believe also, that land which will produce 

 8 barrels of corn to the acre, will produce from 25 

 to 30 bushels of wheat, after a good fallow. But 

 to attain this, the earth must be well ploughed 

 during the months of August and September, 

 (nor should you stop your ploughs because the 

 land is a little hard,) well harrowed, and then well 

 sown and drained, and I will warrant the result. 

 The fallow for wheat has paid me so much more 

 than the corn land, that I am almost discouraged 

 from seeding the latter. This fall, being stopped 

 by heavy rains, I determined to seed a portion in 

 oats, (one-fourth.) If it should residt lavorably, 

 and the clover should succeed as well after if, I 

 shall hereafter leave one-fourth to one-half for 

 that crop, of my corn land, otherwise intended for 

 wheat. 



There are other considerations too, which should 

 be borne in mind, in comparing the relative value, 

 of these two crops — one is, that the corn crop will 

 not answer as a sale crop for persons living at a 



