358 



Maryland and Delaware Peninsula. 



Vol. V. 



To the Editor of the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 Maryland and Delaware Peninsula. 



Sir, — The articles which have lately ap- 

 peared in the Cabinet on the advantages of 

 an immiijration to the peninsula of Maryland 

 and Delaware, have set many of my neigh- 

 bours to calculate the chances between a re- 

 moval thither, or a "dash into the west." 

 Some have thought it would be preferable at 

 all hazards, to strike for the far west at once, 

 as the difference between " the richest land 

 in the universe" and that which is acknow- 

 ledged to be exhausted — perhaps beyond re- 

 demption — is not easily to be appreciated. 

 But all depends upon the mode to be adopted 

 from the very first, in the recovery of ex- 

 hausted lands, for if it be not begun in tlie 

 right way, and conducted on the most judi- 

 cious principles, a man will soon wear out 

 his energies ajid die an unnatural death — 

 he will kill himself by hard labour, without 

 the prospect of a remuneration. 



On entering upon these exhausted lands, 

 many persons suppose that by ^cutcncss they 

 shall be able to cheat it out of a crop of grain 

 now and then, without it's knowing it, — with 

 such, the die is cast, and nothing can save 

 them from destruction; — for a considerable 

 time, all that is done, must be done with the 

 single aim to the exclusive benefit of the 

 land, and without a prospect of an immediate 

 return; crops must be sown for the purpose 

 of returning them to the soil, instead of reap- 

 ing them, and as a man's life consists but of 

 a few years — a few seed-times and harvests 

 — it must not be wondered if some of us hesi- 

 tate before we determine upon becoming the 

 inhabitants of that " Paradise" which our 

 friends have created by their accounts. Ne- 

 vertheless, for my own part, I am not by any 

 means convinced, that such a siiort step is 

 not preferable to a " home in the wilderness," 

 be the land ever so rich and fertile; I have 

 never been afraid of labour, and have an idea 

 that the impoverished lands of Maryland 

 might be reclaimed with far less exertion 

 than would be required on the heavy-tim- 

 bered lands of the west : but, as I have eaid, 

 all depends upon the plan to be adopted, and 

 wliich must, for a long time, be confined to 

 the rearing and keeping of stock, with a ju- 

 dicious plan of tillage adapted to that single 

 purpose, taking especial care that the new 

 adventurer does not attempt to do too much 

 at first, and tire himself at the commence- 

 ment of a race which will require a husband- 

 ing of his strength and resources, taking time 

 to look around him, to well consider the plans 

 which will be ofTered to his choice, being as- 

 sured that upon a judicious selection will de- 

 pend his future weil or woe. 



I have met with a very interesting account 

 of thi management of a farm of this descrip- 

 tion in that country, which I really think 

 might be of great service to those who are 

 halting between two opinions, were you to 

 transfer it to your pages; and with this view 

 I copy some extracts, in the hope that you 

 will find space for an early insertion. It is 

 contained in a letter from Mr. \V, Young, of 

 Rockland Farm, and addressed to the Vice 

 l^resident of the Philadelphia Society for pro- 

 moting Atrricuiture, dated in the year 1610, 



"The Rockland Farm exhibited a subject 

 for experiment, as it Ijad been reduced by 

 cropping; and having read in various books 

 the result of sowing plaster and clover, it was 

 presumed that the sowing plaster and clover 

 would be the extent of the expenses required 

 to fertilize the fields in a few years — but ex- 

 periment proved that the plaster and clover- 

 seed were both lost, as no one could point out 

 at any season of the year, what field they had 

 been deposited upon. 



Tiie soil was a cold or heavy clay, some 

 blue, white, light brown, and a few spots of 

 red clay, loaded with hard blue stone and 

 rocks, cliiefly quartz, mixed with iron and 

 copper. Some of the experiments were made 

 with plaster, others were made by top-dress- 

 ing with lime, at the late of 25 to 30 bushels 

 per acre. Tlie lime was brought 25 miles 

 from the kiln, and laid on the land at 25 cts. 

 the bushel. It was formed into a bed six 

 inches in thickness, and covered with earth, 

 ploughed and thrown over it, before it was 

 slaked ; a heavy harrow was passed over it 

 as' soon as the shells had been reduced to 

 powder; the bed of lime and earth was then 

 frequently turned by the plough and harrow, 

 until the whole assumed the appearance and 

 smell of soaper's ashes, containing about ten 

 parts of common soil to one of lime: it was 

 then carted and spread regularly over the 

 field, and in every instance it gave a return 

 of clover, equal to ten loads of stable manure 

 to the acre. The idea of mixing the lime 

 and earth, was suggested from spreading the 

 refuse mortar of lime and sand gathered from 

 about buildings and laid upon tiie field, the 

 effect of which I observed was more immedi- 

 ate than any equal quantity of lime, although 

 the mixture of lime and eartii was equally 

 so; the succeeding rains carrying the fertil- 

 izing principle of the lime, as from a sieve, 

 into the soil below, completely dividing the 

 soil, rendering that open and warm, which 

 before was too compact and cold for the roots 

 of the grass and grain to live in. Immedi- 

 ately, the whole soil, which before felt dead 

 under the foot, became so elastic, that per- 

 sons of observation, by walking over the field, 

 even in the night, distinctly told how far the 

 lime and earth compost extended ; the colour 



