1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER 



71S 



ment entertain a doubt; and that they have real- 

 ized ample reward for their industrious persever- 

 ance and assidiuty, I am equally disposed 10 believe. 

 But at the same time, I presume these gentlemen 

 are wealthy. They have the tobacco land. They 

 have old experienced hands, calculated for little 

 else than to attend to their barns, and the man- 

 agement of their tobacco. The hands are not put 

 in' the common stock of hands on the plantation, 

 to assist in making any and every other product 

 appertaining to a well regulated system of farming. 

 These are advantages in managing tobacco, more 

 than paramount to every other consideration. In 

 this old state, I am decidedly of an opinion that the 



frain crop should not be neglected for that of to- 

 acco. We should make as much grain as will 

 be sufficient to support the demands of our planta- 

 tions, and as much tobacco afterwards as possible. 

 In my opinion this determination to make the 

 hould be our memorable motto. More 



grain, s 

 anon 



P. W. HARPER. 



ON THE MANNER AND TIME OF EMPLOYING 

 OVERSEERS. 



Saratoga, (Buckingham,) > 

 February 2d, 1S36. $ 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



As I have just forwarded my subscription for 

 the third volume of your Farmers' Register, and 

 and not having heretofore given other evidence of 

 the high estimation in which I in common with 

 very many of my acquaintances in this part of the. 

 state hold that work, I will now indulge in a lew- 

 remarks. Being a plain sailing farmer, I have not 

 the disposition to attempt any labored criticism on 

 the merits of the work, or the inclination to in- 

 dulge in any inflated or ill-timed commendation. 

 I dare say, it willbe generally conceded, that, that 

 person renders a more acceptable service, who 

 when he beholds his fellow-man struggling against 

 the difficulties which may surround him, freely 

 contributes his mite to free him from embarras- 

 ments, than the individual who seeing the unpro- 

 mising state of affairs, stands aloft either to detect 

 and magnify blunders; or to cry huzza for those 

 who so nobly combat lor the amelioration of the 

 human family, and the advancement of the great 

 fundamental interest of the republic. Without 

 farther preface, I will proceed to place before you, 

 my reflections upon the important subject of hav- 

 ing men of information and intelligence, as well as 

 of practical skill to act as overseers— and also, on 

 the expediency of the proprietors of estates enter- 

 ing into a general determination to change the 

 time of employing, or making contracts with their 

 overseers. 



I think but few men of observation will deny. 

 that one great cause of the very wretched state ol 

 agriculture in the middle section of Virginia, is owing 

 to so large a portion of it being not only entrusted 

 to men of limited acquirements and moderate ca- 

 pacities, but to those also whose interest it is, to 

 aim almost exclusively at present gain, without 

 regard to future consequences. We all know that 

 it fs the due combination of knowledge and practi- 

 cal skill, which enables particular individuals to 

 achieve those objects calculated to better our con- 

 dition; and, that requisitions are a§ frequently made 



Vox., III. -SO 



on the arts and sciences in accomplishing agricul- 

 tural improvements, as elsewhere. Notwithstand- 

 ing this tact, and the circumstance of other avoca- 

 tions requiring long study and many years of ap- 

 prenticeship before they are mastered; it is but too 

 frequently the current, belief, that all that is wan- 

 ting in the fanning department, to entitle anyone 

 to a decent standing, is to know how his father or 

 grandfather used to manage their farms — and to 

 be able to condemn indiscriminately all innova- 

 tions on old practices, and stubbornly refuse to bor- 

 row light from other neighborhoods or communi- 

 nities. 



It is also too prevalent a fashion among practi- 

 cal men to repudiate all agricultural knowledge 

 derived from books, which is about as wise as the 

 conduct of our fanners learned in the sciences, in 

 eschewing the means of acquiring practical skill. 

 The former throw aside books in accomplishing 

 their agricultural operations, and the latter equally 

 as sagaciously, attempt to be practical farmers 

 solely by reading books, devising new theories, and 

 figuring upon paper. It must be conceded how- 

 ever, that agricultural books in the hands of the 

 really ignorant, are rather a disadvantage, for in- 

 asmuch as they only know the common rules 

 practised by their forefathers, without, having 

 hardly examined the principles upon which they 

 were based, or the particular circumstances which 

 rendered them expedient; they can hardly be sup- 

 posed capable of understanding the principles of 

 any new subject connected with agriculture, or of 

 possessing capacity sufficient to enable them to 

 modify new rules or plans so as to suit their partic- 

 ular situation. For somewhat similar reasons, it 

 follows, that purely theoretical men would be 

 about as much benefited in having a farm to ex- 

 periment upon. Then it seems, that the great 

 desideratum necessary to ensure successful farm- 

 ing, is to possess so large a share of information 

 and intelligence, as will enable any one to see 

 what is going on around him, through a proper 

 medium, and to determine, upon proper principles, 

 the fitness and utility of things, while at the same 

 time he has the practical skill successfully to turn 

 the experience and plans of others to his own ben- 

 efit, whenever in his judgement it may be advi- 

 sable. Surely one of the highest points for any 

 farmer to attain, is at all times to be able to grasp 

 and wield the knowledge of others. We have 

 frequently seen the immense difference between 

 the judicious and injudicious application of both 

 capital and labor even in the most common pur- 

 suits. While witnessing such occurrences, we 

 cannot help being forcibly struck with the incom- 

 parable advantages, the well informed must pos- 

 sess over those who rely entirely upon their mo- 

 ther-wit. As for instance, in the case of the far- 

 mer who ploughs shallow, and then plants his 

 corn with the rows running directly across his 

 field — and up and down hills and ravines. The 

 consequence is a bad crop, and the land also ma- 

 terially damaged by washing rains, and probably 

 made so ridgy by improper cultivation, as to make 

 it almost impossible to put the small grain in pro- 

 perly — and even after the small grain is removed, 

 the land is apt in such cases to wash out where 

 the middle of the corn rows were. So we find bad 

 management in one case necessarily counteracting 

 the next two or three efforts at good management, 

 and preventing not only the fair return* from the 



