1336.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



555 



scriber I have been a constant reader,) only from 

 a consciousness of my inability to cope with your 

 more learned correspondents: having never enjoy- 

 ed the advantages of a collegiate education, I 

 was forced to graduate in Petersburg over a jack- 

 plane. After leaving Petersburg, I purchased a 

 piece of land in this county, which was, notorious- 

 ly, one of the poorest in the county — without build- 

 ings or other necessary improvements. My land, 

 at the time I purchased it, was so poor, that I 

 should have considered one half barrel of corn to 

 the acre a good crop. Since that time, I have 

 erected a comfortable dwelling, and other necessa- 

 ry houses, and improved my land to such a state, 

 that I believe it will yield me from tour to eight 

 barrels to the acre in a tolerable, season, and under 

 fair circumstances. This, however, has been the 

 result of constant labor and attention; but yon see 

 my labor has not been in vain. I have paid par- 

 ticular attention to the advantages of marl. In 

 1830, I commenced its use, being prevented at- 

 tending to this branch of agriculture earlier, by 

 having to attend to my buildings, and carriage- 

 maker's shop. In 1831 — 32, I only gave a par- 

 tial attention to this business, as much however, as 

 my neighbors: but in the foil of 1832, and the win- 

 ter 1833, I got out 33,000 loads of marl and other 

 manure, upon SO or 100 acres, and in the same 

 year raised oil' the said field 350 to 400 barrels of 

 corn — and having to cultivate my land upon the 

 "two-field system," I raised, this year off the 

 same field 500 barrels. I have this fall put a por- 

 tion of this field, which is low, swampy land, say 

 12 acres, in herds grass, and having about 28 

 acres more of the same quality of land, I propose 

 continuing from year to year to sow a portion in 

 the same grass, until I shall have made meadow 

 of all my swamps. As many persons, Irom an 

 injudicious or ignorant application of marl appear 

 to be prejudiced against its use entirely, I deem it 

 necessary to say a tew words in relation to it; not 

 that I would at all dictate, but. only offer the result 

 of my own experience. It is thought by some, 

 that, to use it in very small quantities may, in some 

 instances, be productive of benefit; while others 

 appear to think its use so dangerous, or attended 

 with so much risk, that it is better to dispense with 

 it entirely. 



The marl I use, is in strength, from 40 to 65 

 per cent. I have put as much as 800 bushels to 

 the acre, and am of opinion that a much greater 

 quantity might be beneficially used. At all events, 

 my land, upon which in 1833 I put the 800 bush- 

 els, would now bear perhaps a similar quantity.* 

 My mode of marling has been, to scatter through 

 the fields alternately, one row of marl, and one of 

 farm-pen manure, or woods litter — and from the 

 happy effects of this system of marling upon my 

 own land, I am of opinion that no man, who can 



*We warn our correspondent that he has encoun- 

 tered great risk of future loss, by such heavy marling 

 on land naturally poor — and that nothing but also giv- 

 ing plenty of vegetable matter to the same land will 

 secure it, even yet, from injury. His mode of using 

 farm-yard manure may have been, so far, his safeguard 

 — but its quantity will scarcely suffice for that, if 

 he continues so to apply his marl, and over so much 

 space. Ed. 



procure marl in sufficient quantities, need any lon- 

 ger complain of poor land and light crops. From 

 all this extra exertion of improving my land, and 

 erecting my buildings, I need hardly tell you that 

 I have run myself considerably in debt — yet by a 

 correspondent in your 3d Vol. 8th No. page 454, 

 I am somewhat encouraged: as the writer tells 

 me, I may in future raise corn without cultivating 

 it — and as this will save me considerable expense, 

 I hope in a lew years to be able to extricate myself 

 Irom the difficulties under which I now lie — for if 

 I could only raise six or seven barrels of corn to 

 the acre, without the expense of cultivating it, I 

 am sure that my net profits would be something 

 considerable every year. 



In conclusion, would it not be better, think you, 

 if those persons who are suffering so much from 

 an emigrating mania, would turn their attention to 

 the improvement of their lands, and thus save 

 themselves the trouble oi going some hundreds of 

 miles in order to raise good crops; this they might 

 do, and still continue near the bones of their fore- 

 lathers, and of all those ancient worthies for 

 whose sakes we rejoice to be called Virginians. 



THOMAS M. STUBBLEFIELD. 



Corn Hill, Gloucester ? 

 county, Va., Dec. 13, 1835. $ 



CONVERTIBILITY OF WHEAT TO CHEAT. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



A few days before I commenced cutting Avheat, 

 (1834,) a hail-storm passed over a part of the 

 wheat field, and nearly saved me the trouble, 

 though not the expense, of harvesting. The 

 wheat came up nearly as thick as we sometimes 

 see it about barn-yards. It continued to look as 

 well as wheat (growing in grass) could do, until 

 the last of September, when, on examination, more 

 fly was discovered than I had ever before seen in 

 wheat. Nevertheless, in the month of February 

 following, it was the only wheat on the farm worth 

 looking at. But as the spring advanced, it proved 

 to be all cheat — for which I was prepared. You 

 will of course see that I am one of the "clodpolls" 

 who believe in the mutation of wheat to cheat — 

 how else to account ibr more cheat growing on 

 three acres of the last year's stubble field than ever 

 vegetated on the whole farm from 1798 until 1835, 

 I am utterly at a loss. I give you facts. Your 

 own opinion on the subject is well known to me. 



The corn crop of this year is not more than a 

 fair average. 



THOMAS CARY NELSON. 



Bleak Hill, King William ) 

 County, Nov. 15th, 1835. $ 



Frederick, Va., Sept. 26th, 1835. 



Sir, Mr. H. will deliver you a small pack- 

 age containing a root bearing apparently wheat 

 and cheat, for your inspection, which I have 

 taken the liberty of forwarding to you for dis- 

 section, to ascertain if we. are correct in the 

 opinion, that il is but one root. Should it be found, 

 on examination, to be but one, it will tend, in some 

 measure, to settle the much disputed question of 

 wheat, and cheat being the legitimate offspring of 

 • lie same parent, that have been estranged from 

 each other by disease or decrepitude. Ifconve- 



