62 FARMERS' REGISTER— TO READERS AND PATRONS OF REGISTER. 



plete) is more due to chance, thaii to foresight and sound 

 reasoning. The object sought in making hay (as we 

 all know) is to dispel or evaporate the watery parts of 

 the grass, that would produce putrefactive fermentation, 

 but to preserve all the nutritious particles of the grass. 

 If the operation could be perfectly performed, the dry 

 hay would be as nourishing to beasts as the green grass 

 from which it was made — possibly more so, by the for- 

 mation of sugar, which is caused by a certain degree of 

 fermentation in the slack. In Virginia, our almost uni- 

 versal error is to dry the hay too much in curing: in 

 England, where there is so much less sun, and more 

 rain, they are often compelled to slacktheir hay so little 

 cured as to cause it to be heated injuriously, and even 

 sometimes to take fire — a result which has perhaps 

 never occurred in this country. The difference of cli- 

 mate and of other circumstances, must cause essential 

 differences in the praciices of the two countries ; yet 

 still, if haystacks in England may heat safely, and even 

 beneficially (by producing the saccharine fermentation) 

 to 122" or more, it must be true that an equal degree of 

 heat would also be safe and beneficial in Virginia. The 

 foregoing articles may at least serve to furnish useful 

 hints on this subject, and perhaps may induce some of 

 the readers of the Farmers' Register to make similar 

 examinations of the degree of heat produced in their 

 stacks of new hay. 



Clover and Trefoil Seeds, 



From Babbage's Economy of Machinery and Manufactures. 



Some years sincej a mode of preparing old clo- 

 ver and trefoil seeds by a process called "doctor- 

 ing," became so prevalent as to excite the atten- 

 tion of the House of Commons. It appeared in 

 evidence before a committee, that the old seed of 

 the vsrhite clover was doctored by first wetting it 

 slightly, and then drying it with the fumes of burn- 

 ing sulphur ; and that tlie red clover seed had its 

 color improved by shaking it in a sack with a 

 small quantity of indigo; but this being detected 

 after a time, the doctors then used a preparation of 

 logwood, fined by a little copperas, and sometimes 

 by verdigris; thus at once improving tlie appear- 

 ance of the old seed, and diminishing, if not de- 

 stroying, its vegetative power already enfeebled by 

 age. Supposing no injury had resulted to good 

 seed so prepared, it was proved that from the im- 



{)roved appearance, its market price would be en- 

 lanced by this process from live to twenty-live 

 shillings a hundred weight. But the greatest evil 

 arose from the circumstance of these processes 

 rendering old and worthless seed, in appearance, 

 equal to the best. One witness tried some doctor- 

 ed seed, and found that not above one grain in a 

 hundred grew, and that those which did vegetate 

 died away afterwards ; whilst about eighty or nine- 

 ty per cent, of good seed usually grows. The 

 seed so treated was sold to retail dealers in the 

 country, who, of course, endeavored to purchase 

 at the cheapest rate, and from them it got into the 

 hands of the farmers ; neither of these classes be- 

 ing at all capable of distinguishing the fraudulent 

 from the genuine seed. Many cultivators, in con- 

 sequence, diminished their consumption of Ihe ar- 

 ticle; and others were obliged to pay a higher 

 price to those who had skill to distinguish the mix- 

 ed seed, and who had integrity and character to 

 prevent them from dealing in it. 



To tlie Readers and Patrons of 



THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



When presenting the first number of the Farmers' 

 Register, the editor solicits the attention of his rea- 

 ders and subscribers to a few remarks in connexion with 

 those already offered in his proposal for publication. 



Without waiting for a subscription sufficient to de- 

 fray the expense of this work, arrangements were made, 

 and obligations incurred for its commencement, and 

 continuance for one year. Notwithstanding the gene- 

 ral and long existing apathy manifested with regard 

 to the improvement of agriculture in Virginia, it was 

 not believed that a scheme promising so many advan- 

 tages to the agricultural interest, would be allowed to 

 sink for want of pecuniary support. That confidence 

 in the farmers of Virginia was not misplaced: and the 

 gradual increase of subscribers has already nearly re- 

 moved the danger of pecuniary loss from the undertak- 

 ing. The more aid that may continue to be thus 

 given, the more useful and the more cheap will the 

 publication be made. 



But though pecuniary support is essential to the per- 

 manency and usefulness of the publication, the greatest 

 possible aid of that kind will not compensate for a de- 

 ficiency of written communications from its patrons and 

 readers. Let enough of the latter kind of support be 

 bestowed, and the value of the paper thereby given 

 will command sufficient pecuniary support. One sub- 

 scriber who will usefully contribute by his pen, may 

 thus be worth as much as ten others who will furnish 

 merely the aid of the purse. 



In answer to claims of this kind it is too common for 

 even very intelligent and successful farmers to endea- 

 vor to excuse themselves on the ground of their in- 

 competency to appear as writers. The excuse is alto- 

 gether invalid — and we must say to those of our friends 

 who adhere to such excuses, that they will indirectly 

 work to destroy, first the usefulness, and next the exis- 

 tence of this publication. It was said in our prospec- 

 tus that the best farmers need information on " many 

 points, on which they could be instructed by others 

 greatly inferior in general agricultural knowledge — and 

 that every thinking cultivator of the soil is better in- 

 formed by his experience than most other persons, on 

 some doubtful or mistaken questions. It may be truly 

 added that almost every such person is competent to 

 write down his facts and opinions, and give to his fel- 

 lows the benefit of his experience, in plain and intelligi- 

 ble language — and fine writing and " holiday terms" 

 would be altogether misapplied to such matters. Even 

 those of our contributors who can have no diff.culty of 

 this kind on any subject which they may undertake to 

 illustrate, will best serve our cause by treating on all 

 matters of practical agriculture, in the most plain and 

 familiar style. If all who acknowledge the truth of 

 these observations, will shape their course accordingly, 

 then will the Farmers' Register soon reach the high- 

 est grade of usefulneg.s. It would serve to farmers as 

 an Exchange docs for merchants — an institution which 

 would enable every individual to obtain readily any 

 and every kind of information that any other indivi- 

 dual is able to furnish. Whenever one of our readers 

 wishes to be informed on any point connected with 

 agriculture, let him freely make the uiquiry through 



