C 112 3 



Account of the modes pursued in clearing Land in Pemu 

 sylvania^ and on the Fences in new SettlementSy by 

 Mr, John Lorain, 



Read November 10, 1812. 



Philipsburg, July 16, 1812. 

 Bear Sir, 



There are but two modes of clearing ground pirr- 

 sued in this county ; one is termed the Yankee me- 

 thod, and the other girdling the timber, but those two 

 systems are sometimes intermixed. 



When the Yankee system is pursued, all the timber 

 is cut down, burnt on the grounds, and pot ash is 

 made from the ashes ; after which crops are either 

 sown or planted without cultivation, except what may 

 be found necessary to cover the seeds at proper depths. 

 For Indian corn, no after cultivation is found necessary, 

 excepting occasionally removing with the hand-hoe 

 some weeds, which will arise notwithstanding the ef- 

 fects produced by the fire, but they are few, and re- 

 quire but trivial attention. Potatoes are hilled up ei- 

 ther by the plough or hand-hoe, as may be considered 

 most convenient. One luxuriant crop is generally ob- 

 tained from this practice, but if the soil is thin, or only 

 middling, another crop worth cultivation must not be 

 expected ; but if it is deep and rich, more are obtain- 

 ed before the strength of the ground is entirely ex- 

 hausted : for the ordeal, or trial by fire which it has 

 undergone, does not as readily penetrate to the bottom 

 of a deep soil, and the whole of its virtues are not de- 

 stroyed by this barbarous practice. After the burning 



