FARMERS' REGISTER— AGRICULTURE IN VIRGINIA. 



127 



mountain, grazing, and fattening stock for mar- 

 ket may be considered as the preponderating inter- 

 est. Systems of tillage and management, quite 

 different in many respects, apply to each portion 

 of tiie state. The single subject of the manage- 

 )nent of manure, both in regard to the making and 

 application of it, presents an illustration of my 

 idea. In the lower country, we have an abun- 

 dance of shell-marl, sea, swamp, creek and river 

 mud ; pine beards, kel[), and exhaustless quanti- 

 ties of vegetable matter on the swamps and mar- 

 shes ; we only want the industry to collect and use 

 them. The newly discovered quantity and value 

 of our marl resources seem to favor the hope, that, 

 from this source alone, a market change will soon 

 take place in the appearance of this, most tattered, 

 and desolate-looking portion of Virginia. Albe- 

 marle is the native county of the writer ; yet, lie 

 is not blind to the beauties, the advantages and va- 

 lue of lower Virginia. — Its great misfortune has 

 been, the facility with which a subsistence could 

 be procured, without much labor. The palatable 

 productions of the air, the land, and the water, 

 have too much enervated, may I not say, paralyzed, 

 the energies of the people. At one time, the mon- 

 opoly of property and the proud aristocratic feeling 

 of the Dons, kept every thing subservient to them; 

 and, to them, and their pride, and anti-republican- 

 ism, lower Virginia is more indebted for her droop- 

 ing ajjpearance, both in the general aspect of the 

 country, and the general mind, than to any thing 

 else ! The effects of emigration would not have 

 been so serious in loAver Virginia, but for the pride 

 of "untitled nobility." Thank God, that there is 

 now some hope for a change ! The revolutions of 

 fortune have left but few of the old gentry who are 

 not, more or less, disposed to mingle without con- 

 scious disgrace, among the common people : and, al- 

 ways, when they want ofHce or public favor: And 

 those who do remain, of that caste, whilst they may 

 justly feel the pride oi'pcdigree, must feel also a con- 

 viction, that their ancestors have a little overstepped 

 the mark, on this subject. Eut, things are getting 

 right; and, it is unseemly to talk too much about a 

 departing shade ! We ought to let it pass ; because 

 we have more recent, and now, more formidable 

 pretensions to combat. 



The other parts of the state are less amply sup- 

 plied by nature with materials that m.ay be employ- 

 ed in fertilizing the soil. From the operation of 

 this remark, ought to be exempted all that region 

 of country in which limestone is found in abun- 

 dance. This exemption, would embrace a large, 

 and, perhaps, the most desirable portion of coun- 

 try, beyond the Blue Ridge. In that section of 

 the state the abundance of limestone and calca- 

 reous earth or marl, leave those who reside among 

 these advantages, no excuse for not enriching 

 their land. A narrow vein of limestone commen- 

 ces at the Potomac on the east of the Ridge, and 

 runs parallel to the mountain at about an average 

 distance of twenty-five miles from it, quite to the 

 North Carolina line. This vein, is, in many pla- 

 ces, a considerable depth belcwv the surface. But 

 where it does appear is of good quality and might 

 be usefully employed in fertilizing the adjacent 

 lands. In the line of this vein, the v/riter has 

 seen immense quantities of blue clay marl, resem- 

 bling limestone in the vt^ater courses, and where 

 the top soil has been washed off on hill sides. This 

 substance is of the consistency of Fuller's earth; 



but effervesces powerfully in acids. When ap- 

 plied as a manure he has seen the most surprising 

 results. And, yet is it not strange, that neither 

 this substance nor the limestone, is any where used 

 to much extent.' The marl of the lower country is 

 becoming an article of commerce. It is most 

 abundant on the navigable rivers and bays, and 

 vessels have been some time employed in trans- 

 porting it to the cities north of us, where it sells 

 ti-om iO to 12i cents per bushel. 



We have too long trod in the old and beaten 

 track of our ancestors. Has notthe time arrived 

 when the agricultural community ought to rouse 

 from this lethargy — avail themselves of tlie won- 

 derful improvements of the age — at any rate show 

 a disposition to avail themselves of all new disco- 

 veries, and to better their condition.? W'hy should 

 we permit every thing else to get so far the start 

 of us? Our neighbors to the north, and even to the 

 west deride and shame us, by their superior skill 

 and industry, — and the consequent superior advan- 

 ta<i-es and comforts they enjoy ! Then, let us "be 

 up and adoing." We have the climate, the soil, 

 and other superior advantages that a kind Provi- 

 dence has bestowed upon us. We liave every 

 thing necessary for tlie exhibition of enviable 

 scenes of rural beauty, prosperity, and happiness — 

 yes,'every thin^ but the industry — and a disposi- 

 tion to do so. How long will we submit to such 

 a just reproach ! ! 



For the Farmers' Register. 



PeJierees of the Durham ball PATRICIAN, Durham cowSAC- 

 CHARISSA, and Herelbrdshhe bull YOUNG TROJAN, 



imported by Corbin AVarwick, Esq. of Richmond. 

 [It affords us much gratification to publish the account 

 of this importation of fine cattle, and to present the fol- 

 lowing; testimonials of their value, founded on their de- 

 scent from stock possessing quahties of the highest grade. 

 It is fortunate for the country, when the expenditure of 

 its wealthy citizens take directions of this kind. Even if 

 the individual sustains loss, (as unfortunately has hap- 

 pened to most of the experimenters who have labored 

 successfully for the benefit of mankind,) at least the 

 public welfare is essentially promoted. But we hope 

 that in the present case, the public-spirited effort made 

 to improve our breed of cattle, will prove as profitable 

 to Air. Warwick, as we believe it will be to the country 

 at large. — [Ed. Far. Reg.] 



Yearling, short horned Durham Bull Patri- 

 cian, got by Martin*, dam by Wharfdale, grand 

 dam Prima by Mentor, g. g. dam Pretty Lass by 

 Harold, g. g. g. dam Pretty IMaid by Charge's 

 Duke, g. g. g. g. d. by Charge's grey Bull, &c. &c. 

 in a direct line to the Studley Bull. 



* Martin by Belzonif, dam Rosanne by North 

 Star — Surprize by Major — Red Rose by Yarbo- 

 rough — the American Cow (sister to R. Collins' 

 Red Rose) by Favorite — Punch — Foljambe — 

 Hubback — James Brown's old Red Bull. 



t Belzoni, by North Star, dam Cleopatra, by 

 Lancaster, (sold in R. Collins' sale for £600,) g. 

 d. by George — Favorite (Comet's sire) — Punch. 



Yearling short horned Durham Heifer Saccha- 

 RissA, got by Martin, dam Seraphinaby Wharf- 

 dale, g. d. by Palemon, g. g. d. Prodigy by Me- 

 teor, g. g. g. d. Princess by Western Comet, g. 

 g". g. g. d. Sclina, (sold in C. Collins' sale for 

 £200,) by Favorite, g. g. g. g. g. d. Countess 

 (sold at same time for £400,) by Cupid, g. g. g. 

 g. g. g. d. Lady (sold at the same time, 14 years 

 oidj for £200,) by grand soti of JJolingbroke, g. 



