VoL. 1. AUGUSTA, Ga., MARCH 1, 1843. No. 1. 
AGRICI'i.TaRAL LETTER FROM GENERAL 
V/ASHIXGTON. 
We are indebted to the kindness of an 
old friend ibr the following valuable docu- 
ment valuabh not only because of the 
revered source from which it emanates, 
but because it affords many excellent les- 
sons from an able and practical farmer; it 
is, too. strongl y characteristic of the Amer- 
ican Kero. We see here the exercise in 
private life of that attention to detail, that 
inflexible devotion to order and discipline, 
which so emini ntly mark the public char- 
acter 'A "Wajhington. No one can read 
this L-it'^r without seehig at once that the 
writer was an industrious, sound, ‘practical 
farm 1 ' He. whose indomitable energy 
had given fr edom to a world, did not es- 
teem ihe most minute details of agricul- 
ture unworthy his attention. 
It will probably surprise the reader to 
find Gen. Washington insisting upon the 
use of iiacrows and cultivators in the cul- 
tivation of his corn; this we have been ac- 
customed to plume ourselves upon as a 
mud . more modern invention. 
The letter directed to his overseers, is 
taken fi om the manuscript copy in W'ash- 
ingtcn’s owm hand writing, and, as we are 
informed, now appears in print for the first 
time. [Southern Planter. 
Philadelphia, 14th July, 1793. 
Gentlemen: — It being indispensably 
necessary that I should have some person 
at Mount Vernon through whom I can 
communicate my orders; who will see that 
these orders are executed; or, if not obey- 
ed, who will . inform me why they are 
not; who ■will receive the weekly reports 
and transmit them; receive money and pay 
it; and in general to do those things which 
do not appertain to any individual over- 
_ 5 ®er— -I have sent my nephew, Mr. How- 
ell Lewis, (who lives with me here) to at- 
tend to them until I can provide a mana- 
ger of established reputation in these mat- 
ters. Y ou will, therefore, pay due regard 
to such directions as you may receive 
from him, considering them as coming 
immediately from mj'-self. But that you 
also may have a general knowledge of 
■what I expect from you, I shall convey 
the follotving view (which I h^e of the 
business committed to your charge) as it 
appears to me, and direct you to govern 
yourself by it; as I am persuaded nothing 
inconsistent therewith will be ordered by 
Mr. Lewis, without authority from me to 
depart from it. 
1st. Although it is almost needless to 
remark that the corn gromid at the farm 
you overlook ought to be kept perfectly 
clean and well ploughed — yet, because 
not only the goodness of that crop depends 
upon such management, but also the wheat 
crop, which is to succeed it. I cannot 
forbear urging the propriety and necessity 
of the measure in very strong terms. 
.2d. The wheat is to be got into the 
barns or into stacks as soon as it can be 
done with any sort of convenience, that it 
may not (especially the bearded wheat, 
which is subject to injury by wet weath- 
er,) sustain loss in shocks— -and because 
the shattered grain in fields may be bene- 
ficial to the stock; but no hogs are to be 
put on stuble fields in which grass seeds 
were sown last fall, winter or spring; 
other stock, however, may be turned on 
them, as it is rootmg that would be preju- 
dicial. 
3d. The whole swamp from the road 
from Manley’s bridge, up to the lane lead- 
ing to the new barn, is to be got into the 
best and most complete order for sowing 
grass seeds in August — or, at the farthest, 
by the middle of September. The lowest 
and wetest part thereof, is to be so^vati with 
timothy seed alone. All the other parts 
of it are to be soaati with timothy and clo- 
ver seeds mixed. The stvainp on the oth- 
er side of the aforesaid lane (now m corn 
and oats) is to be kept in the best possible 
order, that the prrt not already soaati with 
grass seeds may recewe them either this 
autumn (as soon as the corn can be take 
off with safety) or in the spring, as cir- 
cumstances shall dictate. 
No exertions or pains are to be spared 
at Daguerun to get the swamp from Man- 
ley’s bridge up to the meadow above, and 
the two enclosures in the mill swamp, in 
the highest order for grass, to be so^wn in 
the time and manner aboA'e mentioned. 
But that no more may be attempted than 
can be executed aa'bII, proceed in the fol- 
lowing order with them accordingly as 
the weather may happen to be, for this 
must be consulted, as dry weather Avill an- 
swer to work in the low parts best, whilst 
the higher grounds may be worked at any 
time. 
1st. Begin with the swamp from Man- 
ley’s bridge uptvards, and get all that is 
not already m grass, well prepared for it, 
and indeed sown. 2d. That part of the 
low meadow on the mill run, rvhich lies 
betAveen the old bed of it and the race, and 
Avithin the fences. 3d. After this is done, 
take that part of enclosure above (which 
Avas in corn last year,) lying betAA-een the 
ditch and fence No. 1, up and doAtm to 
cross fences. 4th. Then go OA'er the 
ditch and prepare slip after slip as the ditch 
runs from the one cross fence to the other, 
and continue to do this as long as the sea- 
son Avill be good, or the seed can be soAvn 
Avith propriety and safety. 
I conceive that the only Avay to get 
these grounds in good order and AATth ex- 
pedition, is to give them one good plough- 
ing and then to tear them to pieces Avith 
heaA-y harroAA'S. Whether it be necessa- 
ry to cut doAATi and take off the AA'eeds 
previous to these workings can be decided 
better by experiments on the spot than by 
reasoning on it at a distance. My desire 
is that the ground shall be made perfectly 
clean, and laid doAAm smooth; AA'ithout 
Avhich meadoAvs Avill always be foul — 
much grass left in them, and many scythes 
broken in cutting Avhat is taken off. 
4th. The buckAA'heat AA'hich has been 
soAATi for manure ought to be ploughed in 
the moment a sufficiency of seed is ripe 
to stock the ground a second time; other- 
AA'ise, so far from its ansAvering the pur- 
pose of manure, it AA'ill become an ex- 
hauster. For this reason, if the ploughs 
belongmg to the farm are unable to turn 
it in in time, those of Muddy hole, Dague 
run and Union farm, must combine to do 
it, the Avork to be repaid by the farm 
AA'hich recewes the benefit, as soon as the 
AA’^ork is accomplished thereat. 
5th. Where clover and timothy seeds 
are mixed and sown together, alloAv five 
pints of the first, and three of the latter to 
the acre; and where timothy only is sown, 
alloAV four quarts to the acre. Let the 
seed be measured in the proportions here 
allotted, and put into a half bushel, and 
the half bushel filled Avith sand or dry 
earth, and extremely Avell mixed together 
in your oaaui presence or by yourself, 
AA'hich Avill ansAver two good purposes, 
Auz: 1st, to preA'ent theft, for seeds thus 
mixed, would not sell — and 2dly, the 
seedsman being accustomed to soav a bush- 
el of Avheat to the ac^ aa'OuM be at no loss 
to cast a bushel of this or anything else, 
regularly on that quantity of ground. 
6th. It is expected you Avill begin to 
SOAV Avheat early in August, and in ground 
perfectly clean and AA'ell ploughed.^ I 
AA’ould have, and do accordingly direct 
that not less than five pecks of seed be 
