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SKETCHES OF THE WEST—NO. VI.—OBSERVATIONS TO PLANTERS. 
SKETCHES OF THE WEST—No. VI. 
Plantation of Mr. Adam Beatty .—Stopping 
two miles or so short of Washington, we diverged 
to Prospect Hill, the plantation of Judge Beatty, 
who has so much distinguished himself in Ken¬ 
tucky as a writer on agriculture and as a practical 
farmer. Though at an elevation of nearly 300 
feet above the Ohio river, the land, in common 
with other large tracts at this elevation, is ex¬ 
tremely fertile, frequently as much so as that 
lower down on the plains. We found the planta¬ 
tion in admirable order. It embraces about 400 
acres, covering two hills, with a pretty valley be¬ 
tween, through which meanders a clear rivulet, 
sparkling over a white limestone bottom. Plenty 
of excellent fencing stone abounded in the valley, 
and Judge Beatty had commenced the use of it 
for his enclosures. Wherever stone can be had in 
Kentucky, we found that it was rapidly taking the 
place of wood for fences, it is found so much more 
durable; and it is assuredly to be preferred on 
account of its greater strength and beauty, for 
nothing can be more unsightly than the crooked 
snaky fences so common the United States over. 
Crops .—The main crop on this plantation is 
hemp, and for the better production of it, and also 
to maintain the fertility of the soil, Judge B. has 
an established‘system of rotation, the particulars 
of which, as it has lately undergone some modifi¬ 
cation, we hope to publish hereafter from his own 
pen. Large quantities of corn are raised here, 
together with some wheat and the other small 
grains. With the exception of potatoes, roots are 
not much thought of, so destructive is the fly 
and numerous other insects in the first stages of 
their growth. 
Stock .—As Judge Beatty did not wish to embark 
in the business of breeding fine animals for sale, 
he has availed himself of the best grades within 
his reach, which answer all purposes of general 
utility. Large, stout horses and mules are mostly 
used for the farm work; the cows for milk, and 
the cattle for fattening, are principally a high cross 
of the Durham; the swine a greater or less inter¬ 
mixture of Irish Grazier or Berkshire; and the 
sheep of pure or mixed Merino blood. We no¬ 
ticed a fine large stock of all these different ani¬ 
mals, particularly the last, which upon the whole 
we believe were considered the most profitable 
stock kept upon the farm. Judge B. esteems sheep 
highly in another respect; and that is, for feeding 
off his grass and clover, and leaving the land in a 
better and richer condition than other stock can do 
for the succeeding crops. We regret to say, that 
this part of sheep husbandry is little thought of, 
not only in Kentucky, hut even at the north, where 
our lands east of the mountains, owing to their 
general thinness of soil, require more skill and 
attention in keeping up and increasing their fertil¬ 
ity, than those at the west. 
We found many things in practice at Prospect 
Hill worthy of notice ; but inasmuch as the best 
of these were embodied in a general way, in two 
articles upon Kentucky Farming in the first vol¬ 
ume of this work, it is unnecessary to repeat 
them. Suffice it to say, that in cultivating his 
plantation, Judge B. adopts all such improvements 
as a long course of scientific agricultural reading, 
and the observation of the best practice in the 
United States have proved advisable for his partic¬ 
ular section of the country. In the neatness of 
his farming operations, order, general good man¬ 
agement, and average products from year to year 
per acre, we know of no place of anything like 
its size, which is superior to the plantation at 
Prospect Hill—and there are things here which 
must be seen rather than described, to be properly 
appreciated. 
Hemp Factory .-—On leaving Prospect Hill, 
Judge B. had the kindness to give us a drive in his 
carriage to Maysville, distant about seven miles. 
Here we found a large hemp factory, erected at a 
cost of $80,000, and capable of making a million 
yards of cotton-bagging per annum, beside large 
quantities of bale rope. 
We now left Kentucky on an excursion to Ohio 
and as far south as New Orleans, and subsequently 
revisited a small part of it the following June. 
We were not only gratified by what we saw of 
this noble state, but received much- valuable 
instruction on agriculture and the rearing of stock 
during our short journeying there. It is our inten¬ 
tion to see more of this superior section of the 
country, together with other parts of the west and 
south, at the earliest opportunity which may offer 
to accomplish so desirable an object. 
OBSERVATIONS TO PLANTERS. 
The following admirable hints we find addressed 
to the planters of South Carolina, by a correspond¬ 
ent of the Southern Agriculturist. We wish that 
they might reach and be heeded by all; for it is 
certain that the stock of cotton on hand in Europe 
is fearfully accumulating, and that so long as 
this process is going on it must continue to fall. 
There is no escaping this dilemma, and the sooner 
our southern brethren look this matter in the face 
and provide for it by a change of system, the bet¬ 
ter it will be for them. We hope they will take 
these observations kindly, for they are kindly 
meant. 
“ There is a partial if not complete remedy for 
this evil, which I take the liberty of suggesting 
through your pages. Let every cotton planter 
make it a rule and adhere strictly to it, to make 
no more cotton than he can make clear of his 
plantation expenses. That is, let him pay all his 
plantation expenses by other crops, and make only 
so much cotton as will support his family, pay his 
debts, and add to his property. Many planters I 
dare say will answer, that they would be glad to 
make enough cotton to pay their debts and support 
their families. This may be true as to some, but 
in general it would be more pert than true. Even 
these who are hardest run, purchase corn, salt, 
negro cloths, &c;, with cotton money. I doubt if 
there is any planter who could not produce enough 
for market, beside cotton, to pay for all these 
things, and all plantation expenses. Some are so 
situated, that they could sell corn alone sufficient 
for the purpose. Let them increase their corn crop 
then to that amount and diminish cotton. Others 
again if the com could not be sold, might feed it to 
