1846. 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
33 
PRINCIPLES OF PLOWING. 
that the months of January and February were taken up 
in cutting, rolling and burning logs—in breaking up 
land—heading for corn and cotton—and in hauling out 
and scattering manure. I find (at page 30,) that we 
had made and hauled out 275 loads [how much at a 
load?] of compost manure. The manure is prepared by 
hauling to a lot, where my cattle, to the number of forty 
head, are yarded every night—equal parts of blue marl 
and pine shaw, making alternate layers of each. We 
were thirty days engaged in hauling the marl and pine 
shaws, and in hauling out the manure: 
At $2.00 per day,.$60.00. 
I find, (by page 44,) that we commenced planting on 
the 26th of February—the corn planted on the broken 
land—the rows laid off six feet apart, on the horizontal 
system—the stalks left standing at two feet distance in 
the drill, and peas planted in the middle between the 
rows. 
I find, (by page 64,) that we had a frost on the 19th of 
March,—that cut the corn planted on the 26th Feb., 
down to the ground. I find, (by page 75) that we com¬ 
menced planting cotton 'on 31st of March—the cotton 
planted on the level land—thirty acres of which was 
manured with the compost manure, by running a deep 
Shovel furrow in the center of the former cotton row, 
spreading the manure in the bottom of this furrow, and 
heading on with a turning plow—the cotton then 
planted on the top of the ridge. I see (by page 79) 
v/e commenced plowing and hoeing our corn crop on 
the 4th of April. I find (page 82) that I copied into 
my diary or farm-book, the following arrangement of 
a farm owned by Mr. J. W. W., of South Carolina. 
This farm contains 353 acres, to wit: 
In corn,. 150 acres. 
“ small grain,. 100 “ 
“ cotton,. 90 “ 
“ potatoes,. 7 “ 
“ rice. 6 « 
Total,.353 
Now when it is known that many of our farmers in 
the south and south-west, plant more than half their 
land in cotton, having less than half for the entire pro¬ 
vision crop, is it to be wondered at that we are all the 
time buying our provisions and selling cotton, or rather 
giving it away at half the price it ought to bring. 
I find (at page 88) that our corn was bitten down 
on the 10th of April a second time. I find (by page 
92) that we were in great want of rain on the 15th of 
April. I find that the 19th of April was taken up in 
running round our cotton the first time—three plows 
and nine hoes being at work. I find (at page 100) that 
we were still in great want of rain on the 26th of 
April. 
I have copied this much to show the plan of keeping 
the book. But to give you some account of the situa¬ 
tion of matters at the close of the present year. I find 
the following entry at page 150 on the first day of Octo¬ 
ber: “ For the last four months scarcely any rain has 
fallen.” We gathered our corn crop on the last of 
September, making 1300 bushels, but with prudence it 
will answer us, as we sowed about 60 acres of oats on 
the first of October. 
We make thirty-five bales of cotton, and it is a most 
splendid article. 
We put our bales at $40 each,.$1,400,00 
I have expended as follows:— 
44 days hauling manure,. 88,00 
24 days hauling shaws, at $3 per day,.. . 71,00 
30 more days hauling same, at $2-|,. 75,00 
Other improvements on the farm,. 100,00 
$334,00 
Alexander McDonald.. 
Evfaula , Ala., Dec., 1845. 
“ There is no better dessert fruit than a good apple, 
and in this fruit England beats all the world, with the 
exception of America. The Newtown pippin is un¬ 
questionably the first of apples.” 
Mr. Edmondson, editor of the “ British American 
Cultivator,” in his report on the State Fair at Utica, 
says in reference to the Plowing Match: “ Some of the 
work was tolerably well executed, but on the whole it 
would not have met the approbation of a British plow¬ 
man. The furrow-slices were six inches deep, and 
from twelve to fifteen wide; and in the main turned 
perfectly fiat. The plows were short in the handles; 
and in their general construction did not appear well 
] calculated to turn a well proportioned furrow. The 
[ plowmen have rather an imperfect idea of the best mode 
I of forming ridges, and in taking up the two last fur¬ 
rows; they were so deficient in the latter particular, 
that among the twenty competitors, there was not a 
single individual who attempted to finish his work.” 
He further remarks, that lie “ offered to plow a native- 
born Canadian youth of only 16 years of age, against 
any native-born American that could be produced. “We 
made this challenge,” he continues, “ not from any de¬ 
sire of competing for a wager, but merely to convince 
our American friends that their whole system of plow¬ 
ing, at least so far as scientific principles are concerned, 
is radically deficient.” 
We have no doubt that the competitors at the Utica 
plowing match, as well as the American farmers gene¬ 
rally, would be glad to adopt any improvements which 
could be suggested on their present modes of plowing; 
we have therefore copied Mr. Edmondson’s remarks foi 
the purpose of showing his views, and would now re¬ 
spectfully call on him to inform us what kind of plow¬ 
ing would “meet the approbation of a British plow- 
man:” what he considers a “well proportioned furrow 
what are the “scientific principles,” by the applicath > 
of which, our “ whole system of plowing ” is proved ! 
be “ radically defective.” 
OXEN FOR PLOWING 
The advantage of oxen in farm-labor, depends much 
on their discipline. If they are of the right form and 
spirit, they may be trained to walk as fast as horses, 
and will do. as much at the plow, excepting perhaps in 
the very hottest weather. There are some oxen that 
will even stand the heat in the field as Avell as horses. 
The first premium for plowing at the state plowing 
match at Poughkeepsie, in 1844, was given to a man 
who used a middling sized pair of oxen. They did 
their work quicker and better than any other team, and 
there were several pair of large horses. It was a very 
warm day, but the oxen were less worried, and were 
evidently able to perform more in a day, than the 
horses. 
In the report of the committee on plowing with sin- 
teams at the Essex county, (Mass.) exhibition, we find 
the following remarks, by the chairman, J. W. Proctor. 
It is proper to observe that there were matches with 
two yoke of oxen as well as with one yoke, and also 
a match with horses. The quantity of ground was the 
same, one-fourth of an acre, in the three matches, but 
there was but little difference in the time occupied in 
doing the work—though one of the single teams of 
oxen plowed their land some minutes sooner than any 
of the horse teams. Mr. Proctor’s remarks are deserv¬ 
ing particular attention as showing the capability of 
oxen in plowing, and also for a suggestion contained 
therein in reference to the subsoil plow: 
“ From these experiments we learn that an acre of 
land may be plowed by a single pair of cattle and one 
man in four hours, and probably nearly two acres in a 
single day. When we take into view the expense of 
operating a team of this description, compared with 
those usually employed in this business, it wills be quite 
well for our farmers to consider whether most of their 
work cannot be done with one pair of caitle, and, if 
two pair are to be used would it not be better to cut 
the first furrow of less depth, and apply the power of 
the second pair to a subsoil plow to follow directly 
