1835.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



27 



Taylor, of Caroline — in other words, a turning 

 out for four years in succession, with a certain 

 prospect at that time, of an abundant crop of pine 

 bushes, broom straw, and of every noxious weed, 

 with which the iniquities of our first parents were 

 visited. "Another gentleman, possessing more 

 enterprise than his neighbors generally, divided 

 his farm into five-fields. His crops of corn and 

 small grain, have retrograded. He has had several 

 crops of wheat on his fallow fields, which pro- 

 mised a most abundant harvest; and yet from in- 

 sects, or storms, or some other casualties, he has 

 always been disappointed in his expected harvest. 

 This last gentleman possesses all the requisite 

 skill and and industry to insure success. He will, 

 I doubt not, although he is unwilling to admit it, 

 yet return to the despised three-field system." 

 "Really I had expected more magnanimity! Such 

 enterprise, skill, and industry, deserved a better 

 fate! But, alas! who can contend against fortune 

 — against the combined powers of insects, storms, 

 and other casualities? He has, in truth, returned 

 to that despised system. "Another neighbor has 

 been cultivating his farm in four-fields for several 

 years. His small grain crops increased; but lat- 

 terly a great change has taken place — his barley 

 crop (his principal reliance) has gradually dwin- 

 dled away; until this year, he maybe said to have 

 sowed himself out of seed — and fairly abandoned 

 the crop." The gentleman here alluded to, de- 

 serves to be particularly mentioned, as the first 

 who had the boldness to set up for himself, and 

 introduce the new system among us. His success 

 for several years was signal — so much so, as to 

 attract the attention of all, and 1o induce a few 

 others, partially and cautiously, to follow his ex- 

 ample. The production of his farm under this 

 system, I have no hesitation in saying, has been 

 double that under the former system, and greater 

 by far than that of any other farm of the same 

 size and equal fertility. I allude to the grain 

 crop; nor am I aware, nor do 1 believe, that any 

 diminution has been sustained in the corn crop. 

 A series of disasters, it is true, he has shared in 

 common with others — Mr. R., himself, not ex- 

 cepted — but under all circumstances, his crops 

 have been better than any in the neighborhood.* 

 "I will cite you another case — a farmer very near 

 me, a particular friend, &c, divided his farm into 

 fb ir fields. He has made great exertions to improve 

 it. by manure, rest, &c, and his success is very 

 flattering, &c. — yet, I think, he isnearlyconvinced 

 that the four-field fallow system will not an- 

 swer, and that he will speedily abandon it. His 

 small grain crops have never come up to their 

 promise, and the wild onion is gaining rapidly on 

 him." 



For that gentleman, I take it upon myself to 

 Bay, that although his crops have not been ade- 

 quate to his expectations, yet, that his confidence 

 is undiminished, and his perseverance unsubdued. 

 To the onion he pleads guilty. True it is, that at 

 various times, in consequence of not grazing, it 

 has taken almost entire possession; but yet, after 



*Tbis statement, however contradictory, is not do- 

 signed to impugn the correctness of that of my 

 friend R. It is given as a mere matter of opinion, on a 

 subject of fair diiFerence, and in the absence of any 

 certain data. 



| a doubtful and protracted conflict, his crops, both 

 of wheat and barley, (through the redeeming 

 virtue of fallow) have invariably obtained the 

 mastery. The wild onion, I will here take occa- 

 sion to add, has almost entirely given way; and 

 to perseverance in the system, he confidently looks 

 for its entire eradication. I will add, that while 

 clover constitutes the chief excellency, and an in- 

 dispensable part of the fallow system, yet, that in 

 none of the instances above referred to, was re- 

 course had to it, and that success ought rather to 

 have been a matter of surprise, than of reasona- 

 ble expectation. 



In concluding this hasty review, I cannot but 

 advert to the silence, and becoming modesty, with 

 which he passes by the success of his own experi- 

 ments. I submit it to his own candor to say, if 

 in the several instances in which he has tried lid- 

 low 7 , he has not more than doubled, if not trebled, 

 the production of the same land, wheat succeed- 

 ing corn. In the last instance, on a lot of several 

 acres, a crop of 25 bushels per acre was produced. 

 Now, if one or more acres, under a certain sys- 

 tem, be capable of producing a certain crop — why 

 may not a greater number under the same sys- 

 tem, and similar circumstances, produce a similar 

 crop? On the ordinary principles of induction, 

 may I not then conclude, that the same system 

 in extsnso would be attended with the same 

 results; and f reasoning a priori) derive an addi- 

 tional argument in support of the position assumed 

 — that want of success is not so much attributable 

 to soil, or climate, as defect of system. 



I cannot in stronger terms express my unquali- 

 fied condemnation of the. three-shilt rotation, than 

 by adopting the words of that distinguished ag- 

 ricuhuralist, Col. Taylor of Caroline. "As a sys- 

 tem," says he, "for extorting crops from the earth, 

 it is precisely similar to the rack tor extorting truth 

 from the suflerer. It stretches, tortures, mangles, 

 obtains but. little of its object, and half, or quite 

 kills its victim. This three-shift system has only 

 one merit — honesty. In theory, it promises to 

 kill our land; in practice, it fulfils its promise." 

 With him I cannot accord to it, even the merit of 

 honesty. It professes, in fact, to improve, and 

 under the imposing guise of friendship, inflicts the 

 deadly wound. 



A chief objection to the system, consists in its 

 hostility to the cultivation of grass; and a capital 

 defect growing out of it, among our farmers, is 

 that of an entire reliance on artificial putrescent 

 manure, to the neglect of the more important 

 auxiliaries, of green succulent vegetable crops. 

 Among these, red clover claims a decided pre-em- 

 inence. Yet, strange to tell, while in other sec- 

 tions it has been regarded as the most important, 

 if not the only rearefficient agent; with us it has 

 been entirely neglected; at least with reference to 

 the improvement of land. I know of nothing 

 which would be regarded with more incredulity, 

 than the assertion that a good crop of clover was 

 equal to a plentiful dressing of stable manure — 

 yet we have the authority of Messrs. Carter, 

 Selden and others, for the fact. 



An unfortunate impression prevails, that our 

 lands are not. adapted to clover. I do not assert 

 that they possess that peculiar aptitude for it, 

 which characterizes the James River and moun- 

 tain country; but that it can be cultivated to great 

 ad vaat age even on our worst soils, improved to a 



