318 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 5. 



fer in winter, not only from the depredations of 

 wire-worms, but also from the frost heaving up the 

 turf, and breaking the roots of the plants. Roll- 

 ing and treading are good preventives. 



Third Rotation. 



The third class of land is thus cropped. 



The. Five Course. — 1. Turnips well manured, 

 and all the crop eaten upon the ground by mixed 

 stock; the treading of neat cattle, along with the 

 sheep, in such cases, is greatly beneficial to very 

 light land; — 2. Barley; — 3. Mixed grasses pas- 

 tured; — 4. Pasture; — 5. Wheat highly manured, 

 or oats without manure. 



Fourth Rotation. 



There is a fourth class of light land in West 

 Norfolk, still inferior, which is occasionally culti- 

 vated, and at other times used as sheep pasture 

 and rabbit warrens. That land, when broken up, 

 is usually pared and burned, and sown with rape 

 lor the first crop;— 2. Rye or oats; — 3. Turnips 

 well manured, and all the crop eaten upon the 

 ground by mixed stock. Other food being given 

 to the stock at the same time, in cribs and troughs 

 placed on wheels, and frequently shifted upon the 

 turnip ground; a most commendable practice, and 

 peculiarly suitable for all poor light soils. 4. Bar- 

 ley, well seeded with white clover, narrow-leaved 

 ribgrass, and other permanent wrasses; — 5. Pas- 

 tured, and so continued for a series of years, until 

 the moss plants overcome the grasses; when the 

 ground is again broken up, and undergoes a course 

 of aration as before. 



In the description here given, of the various 

 rotations of cropping and manuring, no mention 

 has been made of the application of calcareous 

 substances. On that subject, it is only necessary 

 to observe, that an intelligent and attentive farmer, 

 does not require a chemical analysis of the soil, to 

 direct him when calcareous manures ought to be 

 applied. Experience, founded on common sense, 

 is his unerring guide; he knows, that the culti- 

 vated soil requires a dressing of calcareous mat- 

 ter, when he sees his crops become proportionably 

 more productive of straw than of corn. When 

 the straw, particularly that of barley, becomes 

 soft and feeble, or, as it is called, "lazy," and 

 bends down, and knuckles under the w r eight of the 

 ear — when the scythe in mowing, rather breaks 

 than cuts it — also when the land shows an un- 

 usual disposition to produce annual weeds, such 

 as the corn marygold, &c. these are certain indi- 

 cations, that the cultivated soil is deficient in a 

 due proportion of lime. The subsoil dressing is 

 usually laid upon wheat stubble, in preparation for 

 turnips; also, upon two years' layers, in prepara- 

 tion for wheat, and sometimes upon young clo- 

 ver, immediately after the bailey is carried ofl, 

 and the harvest is over. 



For the Farmers' Register. 

 COMMERCIAL REPORT. 



The business of the present year has been very 

 favorable to the interests of the farmers and plan- 

 ters of Virginia, and indeed, of the Union gener- 

 ally. 



The price of tobacco, which may be considered 

 the great article of export from Virginia, has been 

 higher than for several previous years; and al- 

 though some decline has recently taken place, so 

 small a portion of the crop remained in the hands 

 of the planters, that their interests have suffered 

 little by the reduction in price, while the large 

 crop produced has added greatly to the aggregate 

 sum obtained from this source. 



It appears that about 42,000 hhds. were inspect- 

 ed in Virginia up to August 1st, being 6,500 hhds. 

 more than the year's inspection to October 1st, 

 1834; but as the facilities of getting it to market 

 have been greater this year, there may be less re- 

 ceived during August and September, than in the 

 corresponding months of last year. Besides this 

 increase in Virginia, there were 10,000 hhds. 

 more received at New. Orleans this, than last sea- 

 son — say 34,200 against 24,200 to 1st of August, 

 1834. 



The price of the lowest quality, in the Richmond 

 and Petersburg markets, has scarcely been under 

 #6, during the last two months — and from this 

 price up to $12, the great mass of sales have been 

 made. At present the latter price is not exceed- 

 ed, except for such as is peculiarly adapted to the 

 use of certain manufacturers at home. 



The markets in Europe might, without any con- 

 siderable decline in price, bear the large addition 

 which they will receive to their diminished stocks, 

 but that the prospects of the growing crop are so 

 favorable as to excite some apprehension of an 

 over-supply next year; and therefore a continu- 

 ance of present prices during another season is 

 very improbable. 



Something has been said of a change in the 

 regulations of France concerning this article, and 

 it is very desirable that it should be placed on the 

 same footing as other articles of commerce, to be 

 freely bouirht and sold, instead of the government 

 reserving To itself the exclusive right to sell a se- 

 gar, or a pinch of snuff. The liberation of the 

 trade however, is not soon to be expected. 



It is ascertained with some approach to accura- 

 cy, that the crop of cotton produced in the United 

 States last year, was between 1,238,000 and 

 1,242,000 bales, an increase of about 35,000 bales 

 on that of the year previous, although the crops of 

 the Atlanlic States were very unproductive. About 

 980,000 bales have been shipped to Europe, and 

 200,000 consumed in this country. The price has 

 not varied essentially during the last two months, 

 varying from 17 to 19 cents. The cultivation of 

 this article has produced a rapid increase in the 

 wealth and population of the South- Western 

 States, and an immense emigration to them con- 

 tinues to proceed from the Carolinasand Virginia. 

 The present year's crop, if not affected by early 

 frosts, will be much larger than any previous one, 

 and may prove that the growth can overtake the 

 consumption. 



The price of wheat has disappointed the expec- 

 tations of the farmers; for although the crop is 

 short, and the quality generally good, the price is 

 lower than last year. The millers have ceased 

 their unprofitable competition, and the markets of 

 New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virgi- 

 nia, are about on a par. Wheat may be quoted 

 1 1.15 to $1.25 cents. 



Among the recent importations at New York, 

 are wheat from Ireland, and beans from Trieste — 



