THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



95 



the greater part of Virginia within the 

 last year or so, and have been astonished 

 to see the miserable makeshifts that are 

 used by our farmers. Many of them con- 

 verse very fluently upon any thing re- 

 lating to agriculture, but in many, (yes, 

 very,) many instances, if you happen to 

 get a peep into their barn yards, you will 

 see at a glance that they are not prepared 

 to carry any of their suggestions into 

 execution. Is it not distressing to know 

 that so many farmers in Virginia continue 

 to struggle year after year with such mi- 

 serable ploughs and harrows as they use, 

 killing their horses, wearing the very life 

 out of the poor black man, and doing no- 

 thing after all. It is astonishing to see 

 their want of observation and incapacity 

 to learn from experience. They fail, or 

 partially fail, in crop after crop, and inva- 

 riably attribute it to the season or the 

 land, when nine times out of ten they are 

 themselves principally in fault. 

 Yours, very respectfully, 



Isaac Irvine Hite. 

 Glen Ambler, March 15, 1847. 



For the Southern Planter. 



THE LAW OF ENCLOSURES. 



Mr. Editor, — I rejoice to see that your 

 correspondent, "A Pork Raiser," has com- 

 menced, in your February number, a se- 

 ries of essays on the present unjust oper- 

 ation of the Law of Enclosures. If he 

 will continue in this "well doing," and 

 will arouse the sovereigns to require a 

 change of this abominable law, he will 

 be entitled to the thanks of every honest 

 man. 



I will not trespass on the discussion : 

 my object now is to make a suggestion 

 to you and your readers. Let every man, 

 who feels an interest in this important 

 subject, keep a petition in his pocket, 

 requesting the next Legislature to repeal 

 or modify the law; and let him talk to 

 every body about it and get all the signa- 

 tures he can. He will be astonished to 

 see how many names he can get. Let 

 the petition be in fewest words : it is not 



necessary to make an argument to the 

 Legislature : let the matter be discussed 

 in the Legislature. " Now's the day" for 

 this work: next winter, you know, the 

 Civil Code has to be revised, and it may 

 be an auspicious time to attend to this 

 matter. 



Verb. Sap. Sat. 



March, 1847. 



If either our present correspondent, or "A 

 Pork Raiser," who started this subject in our 

 last number, and who has probably considered 

 it more fully than ourselves, will furnish with 

 a form of petition, we will publish it. 



M'CORMICK'S REAPING MACHINE. 



We take pleasure in announcing to the 

 subscribers to the Southern Planter, that we 

 have again obtained the agency of M'Cor- 

 mick's Reaping Machine, and that we can 

 now receive and punctually attend to all or- 

 ders for it. The merits of these machines are 

 too well known to require any remarks upon 

 it from us. They have been used and they 

 have succeeded in every part of the United 

 States. Our exchanges from every quarter 

 speak of them with praise, and we have in 

 our possession certificates from gentlemen, 

 well known to the farmers of Virginia, testi- 

 fying in the warmest terms to their utility. 

 Among these are Messrs. Corbin Braxton, 

 Alexander Rives, John H. Cocke, Corbin "War- 

 wick, J. Watkins, Simpers F. Taylor, Henry 

 Keneagy, H. B. Manafee, Richard Sampson; 

 besides numerous letters and certificates from 

 other States, copies of which may be seen at 

 our office. To the planters of Virginia who 

 have heavy crops and level lands, we have 

 no doubt in pronouncing these machines ex- 

 tremely valuable. Let all who want reapers, 

 write to the "Southern Planter" immediately. 



To Subscribers and Postmasters. 



All orders for change of office or discon- 

 tinuance of the paper, must specify the post 

 office to which the paper has been sent. 



