100 



THR FARMERS' REGISTEK. 



rotation of cropSj one field was in wheat, another in 

 Indian corn, and the third a common pasture for 

 horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, till ploughed for 

 the next crop. Some more provident farmers, 

 alter the wheat was gathered and secured, re- 

 moved their stock to the stubble field, that the 

 lands intended next year for corn, should have ihe 

 benefit of a growth o!" grass in the fall ; but ge- 

 nerally, when the fields had not a crop of crrain, 

 1 he inclosures were neglected, and the slock roamed 

 at large. Old habiis and tlie facility of the sys- 

 tem, Jiave induced many to continue this course ot 

 husbandry, and they are but litile incommoded by 

 grass in their cultivation, or burdened with gath- 

 ering heavy crops of grain. In eaily lil'e 1 heard 

 a lamier say, that n good growth of grass, on a 

 field anterior to cultivation, was as beneficial as a 

 light dressing of manure. I did not then, but now 

 understand the correctness of the opinion. Pu- 

 trescent manures impart immediate fertility, but 

 its durable effects, 1 apprehend, result from the 

 production of grass. It was formerly thought that 

 the greatest advantage from this manure was to 

 plough it down as soon as spread ; now it is be- 

 lieved better to keep it near the surface. If this 

 opinion be correct, it must result from the combi- 

 nation with the atmosphere. Putrescent manures 

 act well on a sandy soil, but are lost after two or 

 three grain crops. I have heard it said that they 

 sink. In a slifi" clay they are more lasting, but 

 their more permanent effect is on a friable soil, 

 which I liavc attributed to the superior production 

 of indigenous or artificial grasses. I have some 

 Btilf while oak land, though lor the most part the 

 Boil of my farm is friable, and my experience is 

 that putrescent manures are more lasting on the 

 latter. If this theory be true, that through the 

 agency of grasses the soil derives permanent im- 

 provement, it is a matter of deep interest to farm- 

 ers who hold stiff or sandy lands to seek the means 

 of their production. Experience I deem the best 

 instruction. Some of Mr. Hollyday's lands in 

 Talbot, are the stiffest clay I have ever seen. 

 Formerly after the wheat crop, June grass suc- 

 ceeded, but since his application of marl, with 

 which liis estate abounds, I have seen his fields 

 covered with white clover. Two years ago in an 

 excursion I made to the north, I learnt from a 

 source in which I had confidence, that the newly 

 cleared lands on the coast of Jersey, which are 

 sandy in the extreme, after being dressed with 

 marl, produce white clover. In some agricultural 

 paper which I have lately read, I have seen it 

 Btated that some of the most lertile lands in Bel- 

 gium were once blowing sands, which have been 

 reclaimed by the application of lime with other 

 manures. On some of my wood-lands, where the 

 Boil is light and poor I have strewed marl, and find 

 they produce white clover, and I am now clearing 

 a part of them of underwood lor a sheep range. I 

 have a general knowledge of the lands of this 

 county, and believe there are but few which could 

 not be brought to a state of fertility with profit by 

 our own internal resources. Marl has been dis- 

 covered in many districts, and 1 entertain no doubt 

 that a diligent search would disclose much more. 

 Upon our rivers and creeks marsh mud has been 

 uised with great effect, and I have understood from 

 Iresh branches, itJias been found of great utility. 

 Marl is generally Ibund in our low grounds; rais- 

 ing and carrying it out is attended with no small 



expense, but its value its great. Mr. Ruffin holds 

 it to be indestructible, and if putrescent manures 

 or vegetable matter wliich is necessary to its be--.- 

 neficial action be exhausted by hard and continued 

 cultivation, that the marl cominues in the soil and 

 may be brought into action by application of pu- 

 trescent manures, or the gradual accretion of vege- 

 table matter. The soil of the Elk-horn Paradise 

 in Kpntui'kv is supposed to be inferior to none in 

 the United Siates. It is there the finest hemp ia 

 ijrown and the finest pastures abound, and where 

 Durham cows sell at Irom S^OO to ^1,000. The 

 land is highly calcareous, and 1 have lately seen it 

 stated that if it be exhausted by coniinued and se- 

 vere cultivation, and sulfered to rest, it soon recov- 

 ers by the accretion of vegetable matter. In proof 

 of the durability of marl, I will state a fact within 

 my own knowledge. Mr. Edward DeCourcy of 

 this county, late in life discovered a marl bank on 

 his estate, which he determined to work. He 

 drew out a few loads, but falling into bad health, 

 the scheme was abandoned. This was twenty 

 years ago ; Ihe spot is near the road leading to 

 the family mansion, and lbs effiect is unimpaired 

 by time, and manifests! itself on every crop. Marl 

 is irenernlly estimated in value by the quantity of 

 shell it contains. This is not invariably a true 

 test. When Professor Ducatel passed through 

 this county, on his geological survey, I had two 

 marl pits open, one blue and other yellow ; he pro- 

 nounced the yellow the best, as it contained the 

 largest quantity of shell ; I found upon using both, 

 the greatest product Ir-om Ihe blue ; this I commu- 

 nicated t)y a paper in the Farmers' Register, and 

 my opinion has been supported by the Hon. Dixon 

 H. Lewis, of the House of Representatives, a gen- 

 tleman of distinguished worth and talents. He 

 states that the effiect of blue marl on a cotton crop 

 in Alabama, was greater than stable manure. 

 Mr. RulTin supposes that the color arises from a 

 combination of vegetable matter. If he be right, 

 it is a Ibrlunate combinalion, as it will relieve ihe 

 necessity of applying putrescent manures with 

 marl, to a soil where there is no vegetable matter. 

 r cannot pass Mr. Ruffin by without a just tribuie. 

 If Dean Swift's apothegm be true, " that he who 

 causes two ears of corn, or two blades of grass, to 

 grow where but one grew before, would deserve 

 better of mankind, and do more essential service 

 to his country, than the whole race of politicians 

 taken loo-ether," then the claims of our politicians 

 must wither and fade. Dean Swift lived not in 

 the days ol our Washington, Henry, and Jay, 

 men illustrious lor their virtues, and distinguished 

 for their devotion and services to their country, at 

 a period when patriotism was attended with peril. 

 It is no uncommon error to form opinions Irom our 

 immediate circle of observation. Dean Swift had 

 been much about the British court, he had wit- 

 nessed the daring and reckless ambition of the 

 Duke of Marlborough, the heartless blandish- 

 ments of the wily and accomplished St. John, and 

 the dart< and gloomy jealousy of the Earl of Ox- 

 ford. The intrigues of the Dutchess of Marlbo- 

 rough, the more subtle artifices of Mrs. Masham, 

 were not calculated to inspire respect for female 

 politicians. Without drawing comparisons be- 

 tween men engaged in different pursuits, in my 

 opinion, in agricultural science, Mr. RufRn stands 

 unrivalled in our country. His ' Essay on Calcare- 

 0U8 Manures' will remain a standard work, and his 



