2 
THE SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
sov ii on each acre. The plan of the farm 
over vhich you look is given to Mr. Le-sv- 
is. from which the contents of each field 
may be known. And it is my express di- 
rectic n that every watch and the best at- 
tention may be given to see that this quan- 
tity actually is put in; for I have strong 
suspicions (bat this ought not to be hinted 
to them) that the seedsmen help themselves 
to a prett}’ large toll. 
7th. As soon as you have- done sowing 
and even before, if it can be done conven- 
iently, you are to set heartily about thresh- 
ing or treading out the wheat ; and as fast 
as it is got out, to have it delivered at the 
mill or elsewhere, according to directions. 
The longer this business is delayed, the 
more v.-aste and embezzlement will there 
be of the crop. The wheat is to be well 
cl( an;.d: the chaff and light wheat are to 
be properly taken care of for the horses 
or other stock— -and the straw stacked and 
secured as it ought to be against weather 
and -other injuries; and until the whole be 
delivered, it will require your constant 
and close attention. 
8th. The oats at the farm you overlook, 
are I presume all cut; in that case, let all 
the sej-thes, and cradles, and rakes which 
you have received, be delivered over to 
the mansion house; or if you choose to 
keep them against next harve.st you must 
be responsible for them yourself 
9th. The presitmption also is, that the 
dax is. ere this, pulled; let it be well se- 
en; -d and at a proper season stripped ot 
its seed and spread to rot. Durmg this 
op.T-ution, le t it be often turned and exam- 
ined, that it be not overdone, or receive in- 
jury hi any other respect by lajdng out 
too long. 
luth. Get the cleanest and best wheat 
for Seed, and that which is freest from on- 
ions. I would have about one-third of 
my a’hole crop sown with the common 
wh. et; one-third with the white; and the 
oths 1 ' Third with the yellow bearded wheat. 
Th-^ overseers (with Daiy, as he knows 
the st.ite of his owm farm and the quality 
of Lie wheat which grows upon it,) may 
mc:. t and decide among themselves wheth- 
er it would be best to have some of each 
of these sorts on every farm; or in order 
more effectually to prevent mixture, to 
have one sort only on a farm. In the lat- 
ter case, the cutting of that which ripens 
first, and so on, must be accomplished by 
the force of all the farms instead of each 
doiiig its orvn work. If the seed on one 
far. a was to be sown on another, especial- 
ly if seed which grew on a light soil was 
to be sown on a stiff one, and that which 
grew on a stiff one sow^on a light ground, 
advantages would unquestionably result 
from it. 
1 1th. The potatoes at the mansion house 
must be worked by the ploughs from Un- 
ion farm, and when this is required, it 
would be best, I conceive, to accomplish 
the work in a day. 
12th. It is expected that the fences will 
be made secure, and no damage permitted 
within them by creatures of any kind, or 
belonging to any body — mine any more 
than others. 
13th. The greatest attention is to be 
paid to stocks of all kinds on the farms; 
and the most that can be made of their 
manure and litter. They are to be count- 
ed regularly, that no false reports may be 
made; and missing ones, if any, hunted 
for until found, or the- manner of their go- 
ing can be accounted for satisfactorily. 
14th. A weekly report, as usual, is to 
be handed to Mr. Lewis. In this report, 
that I may know better how the work 
goes on, mention when you begin to 
plough, hoe, or otherwise Avork'in a field, 
and when that field is finished. The in- 
crease, decrease and changes are to be 
noted as heretofore — and let me ask — 
15th. Why are the corn harrotvs 
throAvn aside, or so little used that I rarely 
of late eA-er see or hear of their being at 
AA'ork? I have been run to very consid- 
erable expense in pro Adding these and oth- 
er implements for my farms; and to my 
great mortification and injury, find, gene- 
rally speaking, that Avherever they Avere 
last used they remam, if not stolen, till 
required again; by Avhich means they as 
well as the carts, receive so much injury 
from the Avet Aveather and the heat of the 
sun as to be unfit for use: to repair or sup- 
ply tlie place of which, Avith new ones, 
my carpenters (Avho ought to be otherAvise 
employed) are continually occupied in 
these jobs. HarroAA-s, after the ground is 
AA'ell broken, Avould certainly AA'eed and 
keep the corn clean Avith more ease than 
ploughs. I hope, therefore, they aatU be 
used. And it is my express order that the 
greatest care be taken of the tools of evory 
kind, carts and plantation implements, in 
future; for lean no longer submit to the los- 
ses I am continually sustaining by neglect. 
16th. There is nothing I more ardently 
desire, nor indeed is there any more es- 
sential to my permanent interest, than the 
raising of Iwe fences on proper ditches or 
banks; yet nothing has ever been, in a 
general Ava^'', more shamefully neglected 
or mismanaged; for instead of preparmg 
the ground properly for the reception of 
the seed and Aveeding and keeping the 
plants clean after they come up-— the seed 
are hardly scratched into the ground and 
are suffered to be smothered by the AA'eeds 
and grass if they do come up; by AA-hich 
means the expense I have been at in pur- 
chasing and sending the seeds (generally 
from Philadelphia,) together AA’ith the la- 
bor, such as it is, that has been incurred, 
is not only lost, but (and which is of infi- 
nitely more irnportacne to me) season af- 
ter season passes aAvay, and I am as far 
from the accomplishment of my object as 
ever. I mention the matter thus fully to 
shoAA^ hoAV anxious I am that all the seeds 
which have been soaati or planted on the 
banks of the ditches should be properly 
attended to; and the deficient spots made 
good, if you have or can obtain the means 
for doing it. 
17th. There is one thing I must cau- 
tion you against (Avith out knoAAfing Avheth- 
er there be cause to charge you AAuth it or 
not)- — and that is not to retain any of, my 
negroes Avho are able and fit to Avork in 
the crop, in or about your oAvn house, for 
your OAATi purposes. This I do not alloAv 
any OA’-erscer to do. A small boy or girl 
for the purpose of fetching Avcod or aau- 
ter, tending a child, or some such thing, I 
do not ouject to; but so soon as they are 
able to Avork out, I expect to reap the ben- 
efit of their labor myself. 
18th. Though last mentioned, it is not 
of the least importance, because the peace 
and good government of the negroes de- 
pend upon it — and not less so my interest 
and your OAvn reputation. I do, therefore, 
in explicit terms, enjoin it upon you to re- 
main constantly at home, (unless called 
off by unavoidable business, or to attend 
Divine AA'orship) and to be constantly Avith 
your people Avdien there. There is no 
other sure Avay of getting Avork Avell done 
and quietly by negroes;' for Avhen an over- 
seer’s back is turned the most of them 
Avill slight thmir work, or be idle altogeth- 
er. In AAdiich case correction cannot re- 
trieve either, but often produces oatIs Avhich 
are AAmrse than the disease. Nor is there 
any other mode but this to prevent thicA-- 
ing and other disorders, the consequence 
of opportunity. You will recollect that 
your time Ls paid for by me, and if I am 
deprived of it, it is Avorse than the robbing 
my purse, because it is also a breach of 
trust, Avhich any honest man ought to hold 
most sacred. You haAu found me, and 
you Avill continue to find me faithful to my 
part of the agreement Avhich aaus made 
Avith jmu, Avhilst you are attentive to your 
part; but it is to be remembered that a 
breach on one side releases the obligation 
on the other. If, therefore, it shall be 
proAud to me that you are absenting your- 
self from the farm or the people AAuthout 
just cause, I shall hold myself no more 
bound to pay the AAmges, than you do to 
attend strictly to the charge AAdiich is en- 
trusted to you by one AA^ho has every dis- 
position to be 
Your friend and sein^ant. 
Geo. Washington. 
Important Improvement in Se- 
lecting Seed Wheat.-— In the selec- 
tion of seed-AA’heat, take at least six bush- 
els of a good quality, then take a sieve or 
screen AAUth holes sufficiently large, so 
that five bushels of the six aauII pass thro’ 
it. The one bushel that remains aauII be 
kernels of the largest size, and this should 
be used for seed. When this seed is soaati 
and germiqjites, it will be found that the 
blades Avhich spring from it Avill be uni- 
form, and present the same healthy ap- ' 
pearance, and will maintain the same 
equality until the time of harvesting. — 
Thus instead of having so great a propor- 
tion of small weakly stocks start from dis- 
eased or pinched kernels, which can never 
