1835.] 



F ARMERS' 11 E G I B T E R 



311 



tion to their respective means.) have performed 

 much greater labors. It matters not how labo- 

 rious an improvement ma}" be, il'its profits are suf- 

 ficientiy sure and speedy — and that such are the 

 returns from marling is sufficiently proved by the 

 labors of such persons as are referred to — though 

 unlortunately, for want of proper knowledge, 

 much more than lor want of capital, their efforts 

 have seldom been well directed, and have there- 

 fore failed in reaching their full and proper share 

 of reward. 



One of the most striking cases of this land is 

 presented in the facts which it is the design of this 

 paper to communicate. These are obtained from 

 Edward A. Marks, Esq. of Eurley,Prince George, 

 who at the request, of the writer, took pains to ob- 

 tain, and to make written memoranda, ot all the 

 facts which his own means of observation had not 

 previously supplied — and whose close neighbor- 

 hood, and business as a farmer engaged success- 

 fully in like operations, gave him every facility to 

 obtain correct information. 



The father of the individual whose labors will 

 be stated, left at his death a tract of -very poor 

 land, amounting to about 200 acres, which ac- 

 cording to law, was divided in portions ol equal 

 val ne, among his eleven children. The widow's 

 third for life, was, as usual, laid oil' around the 

 dwelling, and embraced nearly the whole of the 

 cleared land. As is also most usual, the sbares to 

 be given into the immediate possession of the leg- 

 atees, were useless-to all of them: but more fortu- 

 nate than most persons in the like situation, they 

 were enabled to sell out their respective shares to 

 one person, at a full price, but not without being 

 compelled by law, to pay a lawyer's lee, and other 

 legal expenses, to obtain a decree of the court for 

 the sale. Such is the penalty which our law then 

 imposed, and though moderated, still imposes 

 on all who are required both by public and private 

 interest to sell rather than retain small shares of 

 land, unfit to support their owners. 



The eldest son, Mr. John Moore, bought in all 

 the other shares, on a credit, and executed bonds 

 lor $24 for each. The purchase included the 

 right to the reversion of the- widow's dower, to be 

 received after her death. 



Low as this price may appear, it was more than 

 enough for the value of the land, considered with 

 a view to cultivation, as both the cleared and the 

 wood land were too poor to promise any clear pro- 

 fit on the expense of cultivation, even supposing 

 the clearing of the latter to cost nothing. This is 

 however precisely the situation of many who till 

 the poor ridge lands of this county, and who nei- 

 ther improve, nor can expect to improve the small 

 rate of return for their labors. The wood land in 

 question, was well timbered — and this, more than 

 the crops to be obtained by cultivation, was the re- 

 source counted on by Mr. Moore, like all other 

 proprietors of similar lands. But Petersburg was 

 his principal market, and his slaves, shingles, 

 laths, and other light timber, had to be drawn in 

 his single-horse cart sixteen miles, and the usual 

 price of a load would scarcely pay ordinary wages 

 lor the actual time and labor employed in getting 

 the timber, and conveying it to market. Still, un- 

 remitting labor made him thrive on this miserable 

 business: which is only to be accounted lor by 

 considering that every hour which most others 

 equally necessitous would have given to idleness, | 



or search of pleasure, he devoted to labor — and 

 that small as the returns were, all of them were 

 saved, and judiciously used. Some of his heavy 

 timber could be sold as it stood — but this was rare, 

 and he had neither the necessary money, (or the 

 boldness to risk more debt,) to hire labor, &c, to 

 go largely upon sawing building timber lor sale. 



"While engaged in this laborious course, grad- 

 ually clearing and extending his cultivation, and 

 as gradually paying his bonds, he first witnessed, 

 on the lands of his neighbors, the effects of marl- 

 ing, and became desirous of obtaining similar ben- 

 efit. He had no marl on his land — and though 

 his neighbors would ireely give the use of their 

 beds, the distance remained a great obstacle. Not 

 discouraged by this, as most richer men would 

 have been, he began marling in the autumn of 

 1826. His whole force then consisted ol his two 

 sons, one 12 and the other 10 years old, himsellj 

 and one excellent horse. He never owned a 

 slave. At a later time, and on some lew and spe- 

 cial occasions, he also hired a man to assist his la- 

 bor for short periods. During all this time, and 

 until his death, Mr. Moore drove his cart to Pe- 

 tersburg with a load of timber about once a 

 week. Of course, his marling was only carried 

 on at such times as could be spared from his ne- 

 cessary labors ol* timber getting and selling, and 

 of cultivation. In stating his lorce, it is but fair 

 to add a part, which, though not of much use in 

 out-door labors, has an important bearing on eve- 

 ry man's means of living — and in no case was the 

 benefit greater than this. Mr. Moore's wife and 

 two daughters were patterns of industry, and no 

 doubt greatly increased the gains of his honora- 

 ble labor and economy. 



Mr. Marks does not pretend to state how much 

 space w r as marled in any one year — but from a 

 view of, and familiar acquaintance with the whole 

 body of land, he is sure that in the eight years, 

 during which the labor was irregularly carried on, 

 that the space covered was more than 75 acres. 

 The distance was never less than 800 yards — and 

 the greatest was 1900, by supposition. 



The marl used in 1826, was on the land of 

 Josiah M. Jordan. The pit was very wet, and 

 the labor greatly increased by the flow of water; 

 and the marl had to be thrown up about six feet 

 to the place where the cart could stand to be 

 loaded. The marl was rich. 



In 1827, marl was obtained (and always after- 

 wards) irom Mr. Marks' land, liurley, which had 

 been postponed until then by the owner's being 

 previously under age, and the scruples of his 

 guardian as to giving permission. Since then, 

 Mr. Marks has had as lull opportunity ol' being 

 acquainted with his neighbor's marling, as with 

 his own, both being from the same locality, and 

 generally from the same pits. 



in 1827, the marl used by Mr. Moore, was dry, 

 and of good strength, but hard to dig; and he had 

 a steep hill to ascend, Kir want of a suitable road 

 being cut. The rate aimed at was 350 bushels to 

 the acre, audit was more often exceeded than fallen 

 short of. 



In 1828, there was about three feet of over-ly- 

 ing earth to remove, to get from below it a thick- 

 ness of lour and a half feet of marl. No other 

 change. 



In 1829, a one-ox cart was added to the hauling 

 force— that carrying three and a half bushels ol 



