1835.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



285 



in order to keep the ploughs in motion. This la- 

 bor would be considerably diminished under the 

 three-shift plan, for the plain and obvious reason, 

 that u bush or shrub is easily cut off", or taken up, 

 at one ortwo years old, when if permitted to grow, 

 and increase in number, another twelve-months, 

 ih" labor would be increased nearly two-fold; and 

 we all know the difference between working a field 

 recently cultivated, and one that has not been dis- 

 turbed for a longer period of time. 



Again the three-shift system oilers a great in- 

 ducement to abandon that pest on all stiff high 

 laud, called herds grass; lor on the four-shift sys- 

 tem with this grass, we only reap the advantage 

 of the grass the last or fourth year, it being hard- 

 ly discernable the year after seeding; whilst on 

 the three-shift plan we may avail ourselves of the 

 use of clover, which springs up earlier, and affords 

 a much better covering to the land. The clover 

 crop on good high laud, and with seasonable 

 weather, may be used moderately the year ii is 

 seeded, and yields one of its best crops the suc- 

 ceeding year — which may be called a "nimble 

 shilling," and according to the old adage, is worth 

 at least a "slow dollar/' 



Lastly by adopting the three-shift plan, the fir- 

 mer is enabled to turn his attention more to the 

 subject, of manure, which to the vegetable king- 

 dom is of the same importance, and sustains the 

 same relation, that bread does to the animal king- 

 dom. And we arc here led to ask what is the 

 best application of manure, or what is the best 

 system ol manuring? Shall we apply the little 

 that is made to the poor worn-out spots? or shall 

 we give it to those parts of the field which are in 

 better condition? It, surely cannot be sound policy 

 to give one bushel of manure to a galley which 

 will scarcely compensate us lor the time required 

 to scatter it on — especially whilst we have so 

 much land of a better grade, that will, on a mod- 

 erate calculation, pay us double. 



[ have thought, Mr. Editor, for a long time, 

 that many of us who make great pretensions to 

 the subject of improvement, commence at the 

 wrong end of the chapter. What would be the 

 difference of product in applying manure to an 

 acre of exhausted land — and applying the same 

 quantity to an acre in good condition? Suppose a 

 certain small quantity of manure applied to an 

 acre which will produce without that aid, one bar- 

 rel, and the gain should be one-tenth — would an 

 acre capable of producing two barrels, gain only 

 one-tenth? But if each acre gains one-tenth, 

 does it not follow as a consequence, that we have 

 taken the wrong end first? J)oes manure increase 

 the productive capacity of soil in proportion to the 

 quantity applied; or is it in proportion to the fer- 

 tility of the soil previous to the application of ma- 

 nure! I do not. suppose the productive capacity of 

 soil can be the law regulating the increase, unless 

 by that, capacity we mean the fertilizing matter 

 already contained in the soil, which possibly may 

 be the case, and is perhaps exemplified in the ap- 

 plication of plaster — for we can scarcely believe 

 the very small portion of plaster generally used, 

 could have the effect so frequently seen, unless 

 we reason on this hypothesis. But as a general 

 rule, I am disposed to think the increase from ma- 

 nure, is m proportion to the fertilizing matter al- 

 ready contained in the soil, and a particular adap- 

 tation of this manure to the soil. Lei us take four 



lots of laud Nos. 1, 2, 3 and !, differing in point. 

 of fertility according to their respective numbers; 

 that is, Mo. 1, producing one barrel — No. 2, pro- 

 ducing two barrels, &.e. Now, supposing that the 

 same small quantity of manure is applied to each 

 of these lots, which lot will give the greatest re- 

 turn for the application? The gain ot No. 1, ta- 

 king a tenth for the increased production, is one- 

 hall bushel — No. 2, gains one bushel — No. 3, 

 gains one and a half — whilst No. 4, gains two 

 bushels, thus showing an increase of product for 

 the same labor and expense, of 300 percent. This 

 perhaps would be the result until the soil is 

 brought up to its highest point ot productiveness, 

 or nearly so, at which time we might take the 

 next number, and so on, until we shall have com- 

 pleted the rotation. 



The policy of this course arises from the simple 

 fact, that under present circumstances, we are put 

 up to all that we can do, to make both ends meet, 

 and the plan proposed provides for the present a 

 more plentiful return, whilst for the future we 

 ma\ remember the proverb — "Sufficient unto the 

 day is the evil thereof." 



Opinions on these matters, from any of the. rea- 

 ders of the Farmers' Register are respect full}' so- 

 licited by a subscriber from 



CHARLOTTE COT MY. 



ON SAVING CLOVER SEED. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Granville, N. C. Aug. 1835. 



The following extract of a letter was handed 

 me by a friend, a copy of which I send you for in- 

 sertion in the Farmers' Register. The cause of 

 agriculture is to some extent interested in the dis- 

 semination of information upon the subject of this 

 letter. There exists in this section of country a 

 strong prejudice against the use of clover seed 

 sold by the merchant, from the danger of intro- 

 ducing nettles, and other pestiferous plants — and 

 besides, the cost is in a great many instances, an 

 objection to the buying of them. I hope some 

 one of your readers is in possession of a more 

 convenient and speedy means of saving these 

 seed, than the one described below. If so, he 

 would confer a favor on the public by publishing- 

 it through the. columns of the Register. I should 

 myself be particularly gratified, by seeing a com- 

 parative estimate of the trouble and labor of sa- 

 ving the seed, with the cost of purchasing them. 



Extract of a letter from Dunkerque in France, in 

 answer to inquiries respecting the culture and 

 manner of saving clover seed in the north oj 

 France, and kingdom of Belgium. 



DuMiERtu'K, Jan. 7, 1834. 



"The seed is sown from the month of March 

 till about the 20th of May, in ground sown with 

 wheat or oats. It ought to be sown in cloudy, fog- 

 gy, or rainy weather, as hot sunny weather is apt 

 prematurely to burn part of the seed, and of 

 course make the crop thin on the ground at har- 

 vest. 



When the wheat or oats are cut, the ground re- 

 mains covered with the clover plant, which does 

 not require the least care or trouble during the 



