378 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



tural terms, and told an amusing story in illus- 

 tration of his idea. 



Col. Randolph, of Albemarle, stated some 

 interesting facts establishing the proposition 

 that wheat might safely be cut before it was 

 entirely ripe, while in the "dough state." He 

 had found the same measure of wheat, much 

 shrivelled from being cut too green, to weigh 

 heavier than the same measure of plump wheat. 

 He had noticed a marked difference in the 

 ripening of wheat, sometimes the straw matur- 

 ing first, and again the grain ripening earliest. 

 That in harvesting we ought to be governed by 

 the condition of the grain, it being the most 

 valuable and most reliable test. He never stops 

 cutting wheat because it is wet. One harvest 

 he cut all the week in a drenching rain, and the 

 wheat sustained .no injury thereby. Wheat is 

 more liable to be injured by rain after it has 

 once been thoroughly dry. He has been much 

 benefitted by guano on lands similar to those of 

 Mr. Willis of "^Orange. 



Dr. Garnett, of Henrico. Related the follow- 

 ing experiment on cutting wheat: That cut in 

 the milk state, some ten days before entire 

 ripeness, was badly shrivelled and light, whilst 

 between that cut in the dough state and that 

 fully ripe there was but little difference, that 

 cut in dough state shrinking but little. 



Edmund Ruffin, Esq., Hanover. In the year 

 1821, or 1822, commenced cutting wheat in the 

 dough state, and has pursued that course ever 

 since ; and has been the gainer thereby. He, 

 one year, by this early harvesting, secured his 

 entire crop in good condition, when the crops of 

 other persons, who postponed cutting until the 

 wheat was fully ripe, had their crops much 



From the Papers of the Nottowai/ Farmer. 

 COMPARATIVE VALUE OF GUANO AND 

 EXTRA HOMEMADE MANURES. 

 Mr. President: — I reported a set of experi- 

 ments last year made on corn, one of the objects 

 of which was to ascertain the comparative cost 

 of resuscitating poor land by applications of 

 vegetable matter, and turning under peas. I 

 intended this year to report accurately the re- 

 sults of the same on the present crop of wheat, 

 but owing to the depredations of both hessian 

 fly and chinchbug in that part of my field, the 

 experiment has proved well nigh a failure. But 

 as the question for discussion to-day is nearly 

 allied to the experiment made, I beg leave in- 

 stead of a report thereon, to offer up a few 

 thoughts on the subject before us, as my annual 

 contribution. 



The subject ''cannot the money annually 

 expended by us for guano, be more profitably 

 used in collecting material for, and increasing 

 the production of domestic manures?" does 

 not, I suppose, refer to farm pen and stable ma- 

 nure as usually made, but to collecting and 

 hauling, composting or spreading vegetable 

 matter, rich earth, &c., &c. 



Before entering into the investigation of the 

 subject I will make a statement or two which I 

 hope will be useful in arriving at a correct 

 decision. The plan of making domestic ma- 

 nure partakes of the principle of making per- 

 manent investments of capital, with a view of 

 permanent and progressive improvements on 

 the farm, rather than immediate profit, while 

 the use of guano is more on the principle of 

 lending money with the expectation of receiv- 

 ing back, at the expiration of a given time, the 



injured. He means "by the " dough state," that j principal and whatever interest may accrue, not 

 condition of the wheat when it can be mashed ^ however leaving out of view the expectation of 

 between the finger and thumb without pro- j direct permanent improvement to the land, and 

 dac ng milk. He would prefer cutting wheat! the increase of offal from crops to be used for 

 fuUiy ripe if the entire crop could be secured in food for cattle and for farm-pen manure. A 

 that condition, but as that cannot be done, he failure to make a crop on either plan may occur 

 considers it much better to commence in the from unfavorable seasons, &c., but the loss on 

 " dough state" than to Avait until all is ripe, the system of domestic manure will not be so 

 Has cut wheat in the " pap state" with scarcely j great as the improvement is greater and more 

 an appreciable loss. Would recommend letting; certain in proportion to amount risked, than by 

 the wheat intended for seed get entirely ripe | the use of guano. 



before cutting; although he has never hesi-i I will now proceed to state as near as I can 

 tated to sow wheat cut in the "dough state," | the probable expense and profit on the first sys- 

 and don't know that he has ever sustained anyj tern for a term of five years, on the five field ro- 



e year, cut his seed wheatl tation which is as fullows — for one year 

 to get clear of some spelt j To hire of three hands, $175 00 



To finding, do, 50 00 



To clothing— hats, shoes, &c., for do, 20 00 

 To use of cart, two oxen, finding do, 



Wear and Tear, 70 00 



loss thereby. He, on 

 quite early, in order 



that was mixed with it. This seed grew as well I 

 as any ; and the spelt vegetated although cat inj 

 the "milk state." Has suffered but little from i 

 smut. When wheat is fully ripe it is injured! 

 by every wetting it gets, although it may not! 

 sprout, by converting its starch into gluten. 

 Does not think wheat likely to " run out." He 

 commenced sowing the early purple straw in 

 1821, and has continued it ever since with entire 

 success. One year he obtained his seed from a| 

 neighbor, his own crop being too much injured 



Amounting to $315 00 



Supposing this force will manure one acre 

 per week, and counting fifty weeks or three 

 hundred working days to the year the cost of 

 manuring will be $6.30 per acre. In my esti- 

 mate last year which was thought by, the club 



by rust to sow. But this wheat had originally | not too high, I made it $9 per acre where vege- 

 been obtained from him. table matter was plenty and as convenient as 



