1836.] 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



715 



a great deal of fatigue, or get some lad to attend 

 to his affairs in his stead. 



This custom of making bargains with overseers 

 in the months of May, June, and July, holds out as 

 can be easily proven sundry inducements for rash 

 and injudicious management in the commence- 

 ment of the year, and but too frequently gives 

 room for neglect, waste, and general bad manage- 

 ment for the remainder of the year. It puts it in 

 the power of indifferent managers to compete 

 more successfully with the really good, in obtain 

 ing business. It has the tendency to induce peo- 

 ple to form their estimates of the management of 

 men, by their spring and winter's work mainly. It 

 furnishes pretexts for neglect of business at the 

 most important season ot the year. It prevents 

 the employer from forming a correct opinion of 

 the qualifications of the overseer previously to re- 

 newing the contract for the second year, because 

 that cannot well be determined till the crop is 

 quite or nearly finished. 



To obviate all these difficulties the planters and 

 farmers need only come to a determination of not 

 making contracts with their overseers except in 

 the months of November and December; and of 

 fixing the moving day between the 15th of De- 

 cember and the 1st of January. 



Upon a little reflection it seems to me that most 

 people will perceive the benefits that would result 

 from this change. It would be one in my opinion 

 not only eminently beneficial to the farmers, but 

 to the good overseers also — for merit when ascer- 

 tained is most sure to be rewarded. When we 

 employ a man to do anything for us, we generally 

 like to see how he executes before we give him 

 additional work to do. Now this can only be 

 done in this case by giving the overseers one 

 year's trial, and then having ascertained their me- 

 rits, we can with propriety continue or discon- 

 tinue our contracts. By deferring the time of 

 contracting, they will be induced to continue their 

 exertions to give satisfaction and to gain reputa- 

 tion. And as the crop made, would be the test of 

 their fitness, they would take more pains properly 

 to prepare the ground, cultivate the crop, and to 

 save it. The good managers would see that a 

 display of skill and industry would be placed on 

 its proper footing, and entitle them to higher con- 

 sideration, and the bad managers for fear of not 

 only being thrown in the rear, but of being left in 

 the lurch, would also make greater exertions. 

 The time could better be spared in November and 

 December to look out. business, than at any other 

 time of the year. The overseers could then see 

 all of their grain crops secured. The farmers 

 could tell better what they could afford to give as 

 wages, and the last of December would be the 

 most suitable time for moving for various consi- 

 derations, which it is not material to mention at 

 this time. 



I am sure if this plan were adopted we should 



not be forced to take an overseer but one year on 

 trial — but according to the present custom, we are 

 virtually forced in many instances to engage them 

 for the two first years, before we have had an op- 

 portunity to judge of their qualifications. 



In conclusion, it is proper to state, that it is not 

 my intention to lay all the blame to the overseers, 

 or because some are worthless, on that account, 

 to disparage all of them. Like all other trades or 

 professions, among them there are some that 

 would do credit to any cause, while there are 

 others of great inferiority. That there are many 

 honorable, intelligent, and deserving men among 

 them, as well as skilful farmers, I do not question 

 or deny. 



Whether or not these hints are worthy of pub- 

 lic consideration, I leave it for others to determine. 

 Certainly many expedients will have to be essay- 

 ed, and great skill be required in working out the 

 various means designed to resuscitate our husban- 

 dry. But that every effort may aid in achieving 

 that great and desirable object, and hasten the pe- 

 riod when this our native land shall again "blos- 

 som as the rose" must be the cardinal wish of ua 

 all. 



EDMUND W. Hl'BARB. 



ON THE VALUE 



OF COUCH 

 AGE. 



From Burnett's Eotany. 

 GRASS AS FOR- 



[The English couch grass, is the same with the wire 

 grass which is mch a pest on the best sandy soil9 of 

 Lower Virginia.] 



Of the creeping species, the couch grass of the 

 farmers, which is here regarded as a troublesome 

 weed, is collected on the continent as food for 

 horses. Cattle of all kinds are fond of the under- 

 ground stems of this plant, which are sweet and 

 wholesome. Sir Humphrey Davy found them to 

 contain nearly three timer- as much nutritious mat- 

 ter as the stalks and leaves; and it has been 

 stated, on the authority of a French veterinary 

 surgeon, that exhausted and worn-out horses are 

 very speedily restored to strength and condition by 

 giving them, daily, one or two bundles of couch 

 grass of ten or twelve pounds weight each, mixed 

 with carrots. 



From Burnett's Botany. 



EUROPEAN OPINIONS OF DARNEL OR SPELT. 



[The plant which is commonly called spelt in Virgi- 

 nia, and which is believed by many farmers to be pro- 

 duced by the degeneracy of wheat, is the lohum. temu- 

 lentum, or darnel, described below. In a former arti- 

 have fewer overseers trifling about in the summer j <de on this £ rass ' (P- 325 > Vo1 - n ) we expressed sur- 

 and fall, and fewer turned off. And as they would | prise at the apparent fact that this grass, which was so 

 be stimulated to more industrious habits, weshould I great, and still a growing pest, among wheat in Lower 

 have more good overseers, and the more good Virginia, should not be much complained of in Eng- 

 managers we have, the better for the country. Iand hereit had been known from time immemorial. 

 1 his plan would obviate the necessity the farmers I „.. . . , . , . .-. r „ ■ -± 



are under to a great extent at present of makino- 1 This iS explained >n the following piece; as it seems 

 the two first contracts with their overseers upo 5 that a much warmer climate than that of England, is 

 the recommendations of other men. It is nothing I necessary to give darnel that vigor which it unforhi. 

 more than lair and proper that the fanners should jnatelyhas here.] 



