VoL. III. AUGUSTA, GA., JULY, J843. No. 7. 
PENDLETON AGJSICHSAL SOCIETY. 
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FARMS, MADE 
TO THE SOCIETY ON THE 10th OCTOI3ER, 
1844. 
iMy. Thomas M. Sloan,’ s Farm , — The Com- 
mittee commenced their operations by visiting 
the farm of Mr. Thomas M. Sloan oa the I6:h 
ot September. This farm consists of about 
one hundred and thirty acres of low grounds, on 
the Seneca river, and as much, or a greater 
nu Tiber of acres of good upland. It has always 
been regarded as one of very great value, not 
only by reason of the great natural fertility, but 
also durability of its low grounds, 
The Committee have not been able to decide 
upon its present, compared with its former, pro- 
ductive powers ; but judging from the evidences 
presented to them, by the heavy crop of corn 
and pea vine now upon the land, they are ot 
opinion that the management of the proprietor 
has been at least such as to enable him to reap a 
rapid succession of abundant crops iorthe last 
twenty years, without materially impairing its 
value. 
This, however, is only applicable to the low 
grounds: the upland helds have not fared so 
well. Either by reason of a too rapid succes- 
sion of tillage crops, or by the total neglect of 
C'uard drains, or in all probability both, a por- 
tion of the upland fields have shared, to some 
extent, the fate so commonly attendant upon 
our agricultural operations, of being washed 
into sullies, and otherwise materially impover- 
ished. 
The Committee were gratified to discover that 
Mr. Sloan has become fully awakened to the 
importance of the subject; has recently con- 
structed several guard drains by wmy ot exper- 
iment ; and seems determined to extend them as 
far as mav seem necessary to the safety of his 
upland fields. 
So far as his uplands are concerned, the pro- 
prietor has adopted a rotation consisting of a 
tillage crop and a small grain alternately. On 
the low grounds, he informed us he wms in the 
habit of cultivating two successive tillage 
crops, and ev'ery third vear a crop ofsmallgrain. 
Mr. Sloan regards the pea crop as one of very 
gieat value. VVe found it co-extensive with his 
entire corn crop: and although large quantities 
are gathered annually as provender lor stock, 
yet a still greater quantity must necessarily be 
returned to the soil, and to this, as a principal 
cau.se, the Committee are disposed to ascribe the 
durability of these low grounds, together with 
that of several other farms, similar in all re- 
spects to the one under consideration. 
The crop on this farm was good throughout, 
and consisted of an equal number ot acres ol 
corn and cotton. Tne quantity to the hand was 
fourteen acres, exclusive of small grain. 
The v.^heat crop was said to be good, and far 
beyond the quantity required for domestic con- 
surnpti.tn. The hoas were very fine, principally 
ot the Berk.shire breeil. The cattle were not 
seen by the Committee. The !arm hou-es, con- 
sisting of stables, 'corn cribs, co v h mses, &e., 
wwr • verv good., and the hordes in good condition. 
The last object to which the attention of the 
Cotnmittee was directed, was an excellent grist 
mill, a very superior threshing machine, a cot 
ton gin, a cutting machine, a corn sheller, and 
a corn ^r, all under one roof, and capable 
of being oyed at the same time, or sepa- 
ately, as desired. 
The Committee were much pleased with this 
extraordinary combination of mechanical and 
laboring operations. They regard this estab- 
lishment not only as one of great convenience 
but of profit also. 
In conclusion, the Committee, after all they 
have seen on this farm, have come to the conclu- 
sion, that Mr. Sloan is a successful planter; 
and from the amount of old corn, and other evi- 
dences of abundance which every where met 
the eye, they have no doubt but that if famine 
should desolate our fair country in his day, he 
will be one ol the last survivors. 
M?‘. Robert A. Maxwell’s Farm . — This farm, 
like the preceding, is one of very great value, 
consisting of extensive low grounds, of remark- 
able fertility, and ot a still larger amount of up- 
land. The low lands were exclusively appro- 
priated to the culture of corn, intermixed with 
peas, and the uplands to the cotton crop. 
The Committee have no data on which to 
base a calculation as to whether this farm has 
e improved or degenerated. But from the ac- 
knowledgment ot the proprietor, that his opera- 
tions, especially on his low grounds, had not 
been governed by any regularly established ro- 
tation, the Committee are disposed to infer, 
notwithstanding the crop was highly superior 
throughout, ihat his efforts heretofore have been 
directed more towards the maintenance of its 
general productive powers, than to any great im- 
provement of them. Necessity is a stern law, 
and one whose requisitions are most commonly 
complied with. But a habitual reliance upon 
resources ihat never fail, and never deceive us, 
is apt to lull the mind into a state of apathy, if 
not false security, which cannot fail to retard 
our progress in the prosecution of agricultural 
enterprises and improvements. 
The Committee are firmly of the opinion, that 
after witnessing the low grounds, not only on 
Mr. Maxwell’s farm, but also those on the oth- 
er river farms which they have examined, and 
with a full knowledge of their great recupera- 
tive powers, that the adoption of a more lenient 
rotation, in connection with other auxiliary 
means, w'ould refresh and enrich the low grounds 
rapidly, and at the same time increase the an- 
nua! profits of the planter. 
The Committee were gratified to discover 
that the proprietor, as if sensible of the impor- 
tance ot this policy, had under way an experi- 
ment with the red clover, covering an area of 
thirty acres, and intended in due time to be giv- 
en to the land, which '.hough unpromising, by 
reason of the extraordinary drought that had af- 
flicted the country during the latter part of the 
season, may, nevertheless, under more favora- 
ble circumstances, prove a source of interest as 
well as profit to the owner. 
The Committee were also informed by Mr. 
Maxwell of an experiment, the result of which 
when completed, he has promised to lay before 
the Society, that will no doubt prove a source 
of interest as well as of instruction, to all who 
are interested in the important business of re- 
claiming wa^te and worn out lands. This ex- 
periment was made upon a field thickly set with 
sedge grass, which was first turned in, and will 
be followed this fall with a crop of rye, to be 
also given to the land, with peas, to be in due 
time applied in the same wav. 
The attention ot the Committee was also 
drawn to an experiment at manuring a very ex- 
hausted piece of land with leaves spread upon 
the surface and plowed in, with a spade lull 
ol swamp mud to each hill. The result when 
compared with a portion of the same field not 
thus managed, was said to be the difference be- 
tween an ear and a nubbin. But as Mr. Max- 
well has furnished a reply to the interrogatories 
ad Iressed to the several competitors, in which 
this experiment will be fully detailed, the Com- 
mittee decline offering any further observations 
on the subject. 
In the cultivation of the uplands upon this 
farm, which are exclusively appropriated to cot- 
ton, the proprietor has illustrated in a very sat- 
isfactory and convincing manner, the advanta- 
ges of horizontal plowing, or that near approach 
to it, which provides that each furrow shall con- 
vey away its own superabundance of water, 
and yet so gently as to leave the soil behind. 
This object has been fully accomplished by 
Mr. Maxwell, with the exception ot a few 
points, throughout a cotton crop of more ihan 
one hundred acres. And although a consider- 
able portion of these lands have been in cultiva- 
tion for many years, and someof them consi.st 
of steep hill sides, yet no gullies were seen by 
the Committee, or other proof of material injury 
from washing away of the soil. 
In the business of guard drain.«q Mr. Maxwell 
has not ye4 embarked. But so thoroughly has 
he bqcome convinced of their indispensable im- 
portance, that we have every reason to expect 
that by the next anniversary of our Society, 
through a combination of guard drains and in- 
termediate horizontal culture, this farm will ex- 
hibit unquestionable proofs of refined agricul- 
tural operations. 
As to manuring on this farm, the quantity 
made, and the manner ol making and applying 
it, the Committee beg leave to refer to the reply 
to the interrogatories. 
The stock of horses exhibited to the Comn^it- 
tee were of good quality, though not in fine 
condition, owing no doubt to the fact that the 
proprietor assigns a greater number of acres to 
each plow horse than is usually done. The 
cattle were very fine and of improved breed.— 
The hogs were also highly superior, and gene- 
rally of the Berkshire breed. And here the 
Committee beg leave to state a fact which has a 
material bearing upon the important question 
as to the relative merits of the Berkshire and the 
original stock of the country, (alias land pikes.) 
A lot of the common stock, some eight or ten 
in number, about equal in age, and reared undes' 
equally favorable circumstances, with a much 
larger lot of Berkshires, were closely observed 
by the Committee; the contrast was most dis- 
paraging to the native breed ; they were not only 
much smaller, but evidently much tess thrilty. 
As to the agricultural implements on fhis^ 
farm, they were sufflciently numerous and of 
good quality, and the same merit was consider- 
ed due to the negro and other farm houses, with 
but few exceptions. 
Hon. J. C. Calhoun's Farm.— The Committee 
next proceeded to examine the farm of the Hon. 
John C. Calhoun, and although it may be truly 
said that nature has dope much for it, yet to its 
proprietor clearly belongs the merit of very su- 
perior management. 
Acting upon the theory, that lands possess- 
ing the greatest natural fertility, must ultimate- 
ly become exhausted by a too rapid succession 
of tillage crops, withoutsome adequate return ; 
and from tiie destructive effects of washing 
