378 



FARMERS' REGISTER— SURFACE DRAINING, &c. 



enough to fill it. The ploughman proceeds, throw- 

 ing out and out, as it is called, and finishes in the 

 middle. The narrow ridges are thus restored, an ef- 

 fectual harrowing given, and the corn in due seasosi 

 is planted, in fijrrows opened on the ridges at such 

 distances as the strength of the land will permit. 

 This reploughing is, however, improper, if a 

 considerable decomposition of the vegetable mat- 

 ter has not taken place. In this event, or when 

 manure has been turned under, it is better to have 

 two rows of corn on each bed. 



The earlier land intended for corn is ploughed, 

 and the more completely concealed the vegetable 

 covering, the better. The latter may be effectu- 

 ally and conveniently done by a heavy chain fast- 

 ened at one end to the screw bolt that passes 

 through the beam immediately above the mould- 

 board, and at the other to the hook at the end of 

 the right swingle tree; or a round piece of heavy 

 wood, a few inches in diameter, with a small chain 

 at each end, answers equally well. These trail 

 along the furrow, and attached to a good plough, 

 will cover the most luxuriant growth of weeds. I 

 deem it so important to break up corn land early, 

 that I do not hesitate to perform that operation 

 from the middle of November, or as soon as the 

 wheat is sown, until the 15th of January, even 

 though the ground be rather wet, if the comfort 

 of the men and mules will permit. If the ground 

 be well drained immediately afterwards, and there 

 occur the usual portion of frost, the land will soon 

 lose its adhesiveness, and become i'riable and mel- 

 low. The heat of the sun is not then sufiicient to 

 bake. After that period the farmer should be cau- 

 tious notto plough his land, unless it be dry enough 

 to crmnBle. "Overseers are usually very impa- 

 tient. I have known one plough with the water 

 following in the furrow. To be forward, seemed 

 to be the groat desideratum, without regard to 

 ulterior consequences. 



In ploughing land that requires to be ridged, it 

 is best to commence farthest from the ditch, so that 

 the cross drains below may not be filled up, and 

 the passage of the water obstructed, in case of in- 

 terruption by bad weather. So soon as the opera- 

 tion is completed, the drains sliould be re-opened. 

 A foreigner, in the service of my family some 

 years ago, removed several of the high ditch 

 banks that had been accumulating for ages, and 

 by giving the proper slope, rendered them capa- 

 ble of being crossed by the plough. But to this 

 there were many objections: the work performed 

 by the sjiade, or by the plough and hoe, was Her- 

 culean ; the ditches were filled up by being plougii- 

 ed across, and much labor was required to clean 

 them out. Though wide beds were used, they 

 frequently ran up and down hill, to the great pre- 

 judice of the land, which was in several places 

 much gullied. 



I have recently commenced the cultivation of 

 the locust and mulberry on the edges of the 

 ditches, and promise myself much benefit from 

 the practice. I have understood that an eminent 

 farmer, the late Mr. Philip Tabb of Gloucester, 

 obtained a large supply of the timber last men- 

 tioned, by permUiing it to grow in those situa- 

 tions. Mulberry seed, washed when gathered, 

 and dried, vegetate perfectly well ; those of the 

 locust, require immersion, for two or three days 

 before they are sown, in hot water, to soften their 

 bard shells, when they sprout as readily as peas. 



The young trees are kept in the nursery for two 

 years to accelerate their growth, afford them pro- 

 tection, and give them tall straight bodies. They 

 should then be trimmed up, and planted close to- 

 gether to prevent low spreading tops, on ditch 

 banks, the borders of fields, and on any unoc- 

 cupied ground capable of producing even a few of 

 them. 



In ditching hard, turfy or rooty land — and more 

 particularly in digging holes for posts — the grip- 

 ping spade will be found a useful implement. It 

 is made of a broad piece of iron, hammered out 

 and hollowed, so as to resemble a scoop, with a 

 socket above to receive the handle, and a steel edge 

 below to make it cut. It is heavier than a com- 

 mon spade, and rather narrower, but capable from 

 its concave form, of holding as much earth, if hard 

 and tenacious. In old, friable land, it is inferior 

 to the common spade, and is only recommended in 

 the cases above mentioned. 



You have done me the honor to ask my methotl 

 of cultivating Indian corn. A communication 

 which you have recently received from a neiglibor 

 ing source, (No. 7, p. 395) leaves but little lor me 

 to add. It may not, however, be amiss, to give a 

 brief summary. Plough deep, according to the 

 nature and improvement of the soil, and early.ap- 

 ply all the manure that the utmost diligence can 

 collect, lor no plant requires it more ; harrow, but 

 never re-plough in the spring, except where you 

 desire narrow ridges, or mean to put manure; 

 plant early on warm and light, but later on stitf 

 and cold soils; use an abundance of seed corn; 

 plough from the corn in the early stages of its 

 growth, and moderately up to it in the latter ; let 

 the cultivation be first deep and close, but shallow- 

 er and farther, as the plant increases in size. Let 

 the last, or perhaps the two last ploughings, be 

 done by alternate rows throughout the field; so 

 that, if there be drought, the plants may not be 

 checked, by having t!ie roots severed on both 

 sides ; and if there be rain, all may be benefitted 

 by being at least partially stirred; and finally, af- 

 ter harvest, instead of laying by with the hoe, 

 thrash your wheat, sell and deliver it, and pocket 

 the proceeds, if you require them as much as I ge- 

 nerally do ; tlien let the hands go over the corn 

 fields, weeding out grass that may have escaped 

 the plough, and digging up the ground about the 

 backward and replanted corn, so as to give it an 

 opportunity of forming. I observe little, if any 

 diminution of the corn crop, from an abandonment 

 of the old system, much economy of labor, more 

 satisfaction in the disposal of the wheat crop, and a 

 better preparation of the corn land lor wheat. I 

 thrashed in the year 1830, seven thousand seven 

 hundred bushels of wheat — almost the entire crop — 

 with two maclriiies, in the month of July. 



I have now, I fear, tired both editor and reader, 

 and will conclude this protracted essay. 



j4 Planter of the Lower James. 

 January, 1834. 



HIGH PRICED LAND. 



From the Poughkeepsie Journal. 



A farm one mile from Norristown, (Pennsyl- 

 vania,) of 155 acres, was sold on the 7th ult. for 

 S252 per acre. The purchaser has since refused 

 i^5000 for his bargain. Norristown is a small vil- 

 lage, situated on the Schuylkill river, 17 miles 

 from Philadelphia. 



