THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



Vol. IX. 



OCTOBER 31, 1841. 



No. 10. 



EDMUND RUFFIN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. 



PCBLICATION OF THE BYRD MANUSCRIPTS. 



We have so often complained, and to eo little 

 purpose, of the dearth of communications to the 

 B'armcr*' Register, that it is perhaps useless to 

 renew or even to advert to such complaints. 1 1 

 it were oi' use, we could again fill pages with 

 the most cogent and obvious reasons why, Ibr 

 their own interest, (independent of more general 

 and important considerations,) our many old cor- 

 respondenis, who have ceased to confer such 

 favors, should again contribute articles lor publi- 

 cation to our work ; and that the far greater num- 

 ber of well qualified persona who have never 

 commenced to render such services, should forth- 

 with begin and continue lo furnish agricultural 

 information. But, we iear, it is useless to say 

 anain what has been already said in vain so often 

 before. And, in the mean time as there is nei- 

 ther much original matter furnished, and as our 

 broilaer editors of agricultural journals seem to be 

 as poorly supplied, so that it is almost as difficult 

 to find good articles for selection and republication, 

 we shall attempt to supply the deficiency with 

 other original and good and interesting matter, 

 and such as will accord with our original plan, 

 and will not be out of place in the Farmers' Re- 

 gister ; but which will certainly be less appropriate 

 than would be useful articles on practical agricul- 

 ture, which will always be the most desirable and 

 valued, and which, when offered, will have pre- 

 cedence of all others. 



With this view, we shall commence in this 

 number the publication oftheByrd manuscripts, 

 and first the "History of the Dividing Line betwixt 

 Virginia and North Carolina, run inihe year 1728." 

 There has been no publication previously made 

 of these curious and interesting writings, and nei- 

 ther is there in existence any copy of the time- 

 worn original manuscripts, which were placed 

 at our disposition by the owner, the late George 

 E. Harrison of Brandon. In publishing and 

 presenting this work lo our readers, we trust that 

 we shall render a service as acceptable to them 

 as we know it will be valuable to the literary 

 public. It will be best both for the appearance 

 of the work and the convenience of readers, that 

 the separate sheets of this work shall be placed 

 together, and be so bound at the end of the volume 

 of the Farmers' Register; and with that view, 



the pages will be numbered separately. 

 Vor,. IX.-56 



HAY BEKD UPON INVERTED SOD. 



From tlic New England Farmer. 



Many of our moist lands upon our dry uplands 

 and the bog meadows, (hough natural to grass, 

 occasionally need renovating. As long as a com- 

 mon top-dressing will call a good crop, nothing 

 more should be done than to apply the n>anure on 

 the surlace. But when the better grasses have 

 run out, and when moss begins to collect upon the 

 surlace, it is necessary to plough such land. But 

 where the plough will do its work tolerably well, 

 it is not necessary to plant. Those lands which 

 are wet and heavy in the early part of the season, 

 and which bake in the scorching months of July 

 and August, are not profitable Ibr tillage. They 

 may yield a crop of potatoes, and possibly of corn, 

 but the chances (or this are snlall, and it is usu- 

 ally bad working these wet spots in the early 

 part of the season. The best way to treat them 

 is, to turn the land over as soon as it can conveni- 

 ently be done after the crop of hay has been re- 

 moved ; to plough in such direction that the dead 

 lurrows shall come in suitable places for surlijce 

 drains, to roll well ; and then put on a dressing of 

 compost. When this has been done, sow hay 

 seed, and harrow thoroughly. Then use the 

 roller again, and the next season you may obtain 

 a fair crop of hay, and the following year you 

 probably will get a heavy burthen. Herds-grass 

 is better for these moist grounds than clover or red 

 top. No one who has been accustomed to this 

 process will ever think of tilling any wet lands 

 that can be laid over smooth by the plough. 



The process here recommended has been re- 

 peatedly urged upon our farmers, by Mr. Buck- 

 minster, editor of the Boston Cultivator; and as 

 Ikr as he has influenced them to comply with his 

 advice in this matter, he has rendered them good 

 service. 



This is the proper season of the year for work- 

 ing ail low lands, and it is by attention to them, 

 that our farmers generally must hope to thrive. 

 They repay the labor and expense bestowed upon 

 them better than most of the high grounds. 



DRIVING NAILS INTO HARD WOOD. 



From the New Genesee Farmer. 



We have lately seen another experiment of 

 driving nails into hard seasoned timber, fairly 

 tried. The first two nails, after passing through 

 a pine board, entered about an mch, and then 

 doubled down under the hammer ; but on dipping 

 the points of the other six or eight nails into lard, 

 every one was driven home without the least dif- 

 ficulty. 



Carpenters, who are engaged in repairing old 

 buildings, sometimes carry a small lump ol lard 

 or tallow for this purpose on one of their boots or 

 shoes. 



