38 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



B. Hatrh, Wm. W. Brilton. esq., and Theo. B. 

 Kandolph, epq., ofGreene — Jumps H. Riiffin, epq. 

 Siinmel S. StniHwirk, esq., Col. Bvrd M. Pparpon, 

 Andrew P. Calhniin, esq., and Col. Jamps Pickens, 

 ofMarenffo — and Col. Kiehard B. Wallhiill, Ja- 

 bez Curry, esq., and Q. T. C. De Yampert, esq., 

 of Perry. 



The convenfion then adjourned unfil Monday, 

 the 14ih instant, at 12 o'clock. 



Greensburo\ December 14, 1840. 



The convenfion met arcording to adjournment. 



The commjitee of tweniy-ronr appointed at the 

 previous meetinj;, I'^rough their chairman, Dr. R. 



C, Randolph, presented the fbllowinfj report and 

 resolution, which were unanimously adopted. 



The committee appointed by a former meetini; 

 to inquire into the reported deficiency of the 

 present cotton crop, as contrasted with that oC 

 1839, would state to the present mpetinor, that ihev 

 have fTJven the subject due consideration, and that 

 they have visited nelcrhborhnnds and made in- 

 quiries of planters in Perry, Marengo and Greene 

 counties, and submit the following facts and re- 

 flections. 



The summer and autumn of 1839 were hiffhiy 

 favorable for harvestini? ; nolwithsianding which, 

 the cotton crop in the three counties above men- 

 tioned was not generally ffaihered until the month 

 of IMarch, 1840. The summer and autumn of 

 1840 have not been so favorable. There has been 

 more sickness, tlie cotton which suffered by the in- 

 vasion of insects did not mnnire as early as in the 

 previous year, rains have been much more fre- 

 quent ; and yet the crop is now nearly all jralher- 

 ed, and will, it is believed, be entirely so by the 

 first of January. The affgregate production in 



1839, of seventy-six plantations, was 17,008 bales; 

 while the yield from the same plantations, in the 

 present year, has not, and cannot exceed 8.261 

 bales. 



The plantations from which these facts have 

 been derived include every variety of soil found in 

 these counties, from the rich lime lands to the 

 poor sand hills. The liillintr off in the produc- 

 tion is greater upon the lime land than the sandy 

 ridjje. Upon tlie former it is believed to be gene- 

 rally more than half, and upon the latter one-third. 

 The large bulk of cotton produced in these coun- 

 ties is usually derived from the lime lands. 



From these considerations, the committee are of 

 the opinion that the atrgreirate production of the 

 present year, in the counties of Perr3', Marengo 

 and Greene, has not amounted to more than half 

 of the yield of the previous year. In conclusion, 

 they ask leave to submit tlie accompanying reso- 

 lution. 



Resolved, That entertaining the belief from 'he 

 best information we have been ab'e to collect, that 

 the relative deficiency o\' the present cotton crop, 

 throughout the whole cotton growing region, is 

 fully equal to that in the section represented by 

 the meeting, we earnestly invite the whole body 

 of southern planters to hold similar meetings, that 

 an early opinion, approximating very nearly to 

 accuracy, may be found as to the entire crop of 



1840, and fortified in such manner as to leave the 

 niatter beyond doubt or cavil. 



On motion of Thomas M. Johnson, esq.. 

 Resolved, That the proceedings of this conven- 

 tion be published in the papers of the cities of 



Charleston and Mobile, and in those of the coun- 

 ties of Greene, Marengo and Perry. 



The convention fh,»n adjourned sine die. 



Wm. a rmstead, Chairman. 



Isaac Croom, Sec'y. 



A COMMON OBJECTION TO AGRICULTURAL 

 PERIODICALS, AND ESPECIALLY CONSIDER- 

 ED IN REGARD TO THE FARMERS' REGIS- 

 TER. 



The Farmers' Register, throughout its whole 

 course, however scantily supported by subscrip- 

 tions and by written contributions, has been at 

 least most bountifully fed with compliments and 

 praises ; and if such pleasant, but unsubstan- 

 tial food, were sufRcicnt for its sustenance, growth, 

 and utility, there would certainly be no ground to 

 complain of neglect. We readily admit that 

 the complimentary expressions which have in 

 many cases been uttered to us, and of our work, 

 have been more kind and more favorable than 

 the actual state of things deserved ; though cer- 

 tainly not more so than would have been deserv- 

 ed, if some solid aid, and especially that of written 

 communications, had been bestowed, instead of 

 praises given by those who gave nothing else. 

 But the highest commendations have frequently 

 been accompanied a species of censure of the 

 work which was at least as mnch undeserved ; 

 and which was founded on mistake in part — and 

 which so far as deserved at all, the censors them- 

 selves should be held responsible for, and not the 

 editor, or his publication. The objection referred 

 to has been often, to our knowledge, stated, and 

 therefore we infer is generally understood to exist, 

 by our brother farmers in agricultural regions re- 

 mote, or under different circumstances, from low- 

 er Virginia, where the work has been published — 

 and who also have not been its constant or fre- 

 quent readers. Whilst (in most cases) allowing 

 to it high, or even an undue degree of merit and 

 usefulness for the circumstances of lower Virginia, 

 it seems to be taken for granted that the subject 

 matter exclusively relates to the peculiar culture 

 and means for improvement of that region. The 

 farmers of the west, and even of the mountains of 

 our own stale, say, " Of what use can the Farm- 

 ers' Register be to usl We want to know about 

 grass, and meadows and cattle." Many of the 

 tobacco planters of the middle country say, "What 

 use can we make of the Farmers' Register? We 

 have no marl." Most of the planters of the great 

 cotton region think that they have still better 

 ground to object to the difference of the agricultu- 

 ral conditions of our respective regions. We speak 

 not ofany farmers north of "Mason's and Dixon'a 

 line;" for they nearly all hold every thing in and 



