1S36.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



611 



From the Lynchburg Virginian. 



AX ESSAY, READ BEFORE THE AGRICULTU- 

 RAL SOCIETY OF ALBEMARLE. 



In obedience to a resolution of the society re- 

 quiring of me an essay upon some agricultural 

 subject, I shall proceed, hastily to give, first, some 

 general views on the subject of ploughing. Deep 

 ploughing, is certainly the first great step towards 

 improvement; it not only facilitates the improve- 

 ment of the land, but it is a safeguard against the 

 drought, and also the washing rains of summer, 

 which we olten suffer from — especially the corn 

 crop. But the great advantages resulting li'om 

 deep ploughing do not stop here — by it, you bury 

 all seed injurious to the land and crop so deep, 

 that they never vegetate, leaving a clean surface 

 for the seed sown. Good ploughing, however, can- 

 not be done, without good ploughs, of which we 

 have very lew. The iM'Cormick plough, when well 

 made, is a good plough for light foul land, but 

 it has not sufficient strength lor rough, or turfy 

 land; and I have never seen one that would stand 

 a draught of three strong horses, and that would 

 not get out of order in one season, and often in one 

 day. 



The plough which I think best adapted to our 

 eoil, and would recommend to the society, is the 

 bar-share. I have used this plough for more than 

 thirty years, and I believe the improvement of my 

 farm is more indebted to good ploughing than any 

 thing else. I will endeavor to exhibit one for the 

 inspection of i lie members of the society, and 

 would urge them to adopt some mode by which 

 they could be produced. The bar-share has ma- 

 ny advantages over any other plough — one great 

 advantage is the coulter, another is the peculiar 

 shape of the mould board, which does not offer so 

 great a resistance to the surface, and at the same 

 time turns the soil more effectually. I have been 

 ploughing from eight to twelve, inches deep with 

 this plough ever since I have been farming, 

 without ever in one single instance injuring my 

 land, but on the contrary, greatly to its improve- 

 ment. 



There is however, one great mystery with res- 

 pect to deep ploughing, which I have not been 

 able to solve to my satisfaction, and which I would 

 .like so:ve of the members of the society, more 

 conversant with the subject than myself, to ex- 

 plain: it is this — no matter how much clay you 

 turn up in flushing your land, in one season it all 

 disappears, and you see nothing but good soil 

 again upon the surface. One more, observation 

 upon the subject of deep ploughing, and i shall 

 then pass to another important subject connected 

 with agriculture. i\ is certainly very desirable to 

 have a deep soil for profitable cultivation, and if 

 nature has not provided it, art must be resorted to. 

 Long experience has convinced me of this fact, 

 that just as deep as your plough goes, so deep will 

 your soil be.* 



I will now submit a few remarks on the second 



•These remarks are doubtless correct as to the red 

 lands of Albemarle, which posssss such rare and valu- 

 able qualities. But they would not apply to shallow 

 soils incumbent oa a steril subsoil, whether of sand or 

 clay.— Ed. Farm. IIf.q. 



step towards improving — that is, the carefully 

 making and taking care of manure. How few of 

 us make one-half of what we might, and how 

 very important an item it is, in the account of 

 farming. There, are many opinions as f to the 

 time, and mode ot using it. Convenience has al- 

 ways dictated the time, the quantity being the 

 greatest, object with me. 1 have always thought 

 it unimportant whether you make use of it on the 

 surlace, or plough it under. By using it on the 

 surface, the first crop derives a greater benefit 

 from it than by ploughing it under — but by plough- 

 ing it. under, the second and succeeding crops de- 

 rive a Greater benefit, than by using it on their 

 surface, and is to be preferred, except tor the wheat 

 crop, which I think best to harrow in with the 

 wheat. One advantage, however, of the surlace 

 mode, is, that the clover is more apt. to succeed 

 well, on soils not particularly kind to the produc- 

 tion of that invaluable crop. As there are other 

 subjects to which I wish to call the attention of 

 the society, I should be consuming more of its 

 time than the present occasion would admit of, 

 were I to dwell more lengthily upon this impor- 

 tant branch of my essay. 



I would now invite the attention of the society 

 to the great advantage to be derived from having 

 a farm entirely rid of all pests to which our soil is 

 so liable. Long experience has proved to me, 

 that a farm of this character, may be worked to a 

 greater advantage with almost half the number of 

 hands, than one infested with pests, such as thistle, 

 mullein, St. Johns's wort, wild carrot, and many 

 others, not less objectionable and equally injurious 

 to the land. The remedy which I have adopted 

 is to keep a large stock of cattle. I am very well 

 aware, that this is considered by many (and some 

 judicious farmers too) as bad management; but I 

 have found that, my farm, if not improved aa 

 fast, is at least clean, and improvement is facili- 

 tated; and, it is in fact almost the onl}' mode of get- 

 ting rid of the sassafras. 



Another very important subject to which your 

 attention is invited, and one attended with econo- 

 my to the farmer, (which is certainly an important 

 consideration and recommendation to any plan 

 connected with the operations of alarm) is that of 

 stone fencing, which is indeed "killing two birds 

 with one stone:" for while you are moving a great 

 pest, you are securing to yourself a lasting fence, 

 and one that is no inconsiderable ornament to your 

 farm. My farm is nearly half enclosed with a 

 fence of this kind, and I find it much cheaper than 

 cutting and hauling rails every lew years. There 

 are a great variety of opinion? as to the best mode 

 of constructing a stone fence — but 1 have found 

 the following "to be the most durable, or, in other 

 words, least liable to tumble. It is of course im- 

 portant to give, the stone work depth of foundatior 

 sufficient to place it beyond the influence of the 

 frost. The fence should be eight feet wide at the 

 base, and three feet high, and from six to eight 

 inches on the top; upon this place, a lasting rail 

 either of chestnut or heart pine. At intervals of 

 eight feet, I let into the ground locust stakes, on 

 both sides inclining to the wall and crossing on 

 the rail: in live lock or cross ot' the stakes, another 

 rail is placed, which keeps the entire lence perfect- 

 ly secure; a lence on this plan, may be said, to be 

 •'•as las'ing as the. hills/' 

 01/s«rvin<f some time Bince a piece from the Gen- 



