Farmers' gazette, and Cheraw advertiser. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1839-1843, July 19, 1842, Image 1
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VOLUME VII. CHER AW, SOUTIl-CAKOLIX V TUESDAY, JULY 10, 1842. NUMBER 36.
Ey 71. 71 AC LEA7. j
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"w -J' " ? _
&am ,
From the South Western Farmer.
The communication front Dr. Nutt in
our present number, which he has fur. j
nished in compliance with a request from ; '
us will he read with interest hy every one | ^
acquainted with the reputation of hint i
and his father as cotton planters.
t Dr. N utt, sen. was for years perhaps j
the very best planter of the Pctt;
Gulf hills : and acouired such a renitn
. ' , . * . ' I I
tion in the business that his brand bo. .
came well known and sought after in all !
the cotton markets on both sides of the j .
ocean, and comma .ded a price of three
or four cents per pound in advance of the j '
general crop. Our readers may judge
the value of the detail his son gives us ol j ,
lus management.
I
It will he seen that his management j
is just the reverse: of that recommended j
by a correspondent of a Memphis paper j
which we have seen often quoted with I
l *
approbation?which is, to keep the cotton j ,
damp and let it sweat and the seed rot |
before ginning?a plan we before distrus- j j
ted, hut are now convinced from Dr.
I ]
Nutt's remarks should he shunned.
Our coriespondent's suggestions ro.
spccting ginning and gin stands are iin *
po'tant, and deserve the attention of our .
mechanics
The folding scaffolds ho mentions we I
recollect to have seen on his father'* j
plantation. Any one imagining a corn- I ^
mon table with the leaves made so as to j
be turned up over it instead of down at j
its sides, will have a tolerably correct j ^
idea of these scaffolds. The centre
boards are fast and the leaves arc joined ,
to them hy hinges, and turn over them so ^
us to join above and forma roof which}
w til turn off* any kind of rains. W lien ;
a shower is seen approaching all the I .
hands in attendance have to do is just to
turn irp the folding leaves of those seaf- ,
I olds, aru! the cotton on them is safe.
F<>r the S. W. Farmer.
Messrs. Editors:?It is with pleasure:
^ that i comply with your request. I consider
it no less a duly, not only as regards ,
myself, hut as regards every other citizen j
of Hinds, to do all in his power to aid you
in your laudable undertaking?the promulgating
the science of farming?the
? ? ?
cultivation of which has given prosperity
to every country, and the neglect of their 1
i- c_u r. i :u?*:?
UU\> mall. II IS IIUIIIIIUIUII" n-? umi .
in most of the older portions of the (Jlohe-|
this useful and nohle science is nearly !
forgotten, ar.d what remains of it is in j
possession of the poor and illiterate.? ;
Even on the Idand of iSiciiy, tne f4,f'm r
granary of Home, and which gave to i
Rome all its greatness, the name of Far- j
iner is considered a reproach ; so much i
so, that our consul to Mcssenn, (Mr. ;
Peyson,) whilst looking over the Tavern
register and discovering that along with
our names, place of destination, &.c. we
had written "Farmer" as our profession,
cried out "My dear sir! that will never
do. What will people think of you ??
The Farmers throughout these countries
are of lower orders." My reply was that
1 gloried in the name, was only ashamed f
that I did not deserve it?and that if the
talents which are thrown away in searching
out the particular spot of the birth I
and death of a Saint or celebrated Sculp,
tor, was applied to the noble and useful 1
science of Farming, their country, old as it I
is, might give profitable and honourable
occupation to its herds of Priests and
Beggars, and again occupy a respectable j
station among the nations of the earth. :
But to return to the object of this com- '
inunication. You wish to know "the
plan pursued by my Father in the management
of his Cotton," which I will en
deavour to give you in as few words as
possible.
In the first place, my Father was very !
careful never to plant more cotton than be
could keep up with in picking. He consid- j
ered it altogether impossible to make fine 1
cotton of that which was sutlered to remain
open in the field for anv length of
time. He invariably, when obliged to
have such, would |?ut it to itsell, as the
second quality, on account of its having
lost in a grout measure its golden hue ;
and should a rain fall on this, it was
classed as the third uualitv. because of the
din^y colour imparted to it by the udher
ing portions of decayed loaves and small |
particles of the same, which would invariably
accompany it to the stand and then j
not entirely ho separated by the false I
grates and hue. Ho was very careful to J
have his cotton picked clean from the !
field, of the larger portions of leaf, and j
once accustomed to this hahit, the hands
will pick as much, minus a very few
pounds, as if the}' were permitted t* gather
leaves, boils, and every thing else that
may come in their way. Many think a
great deal of time must necessarily ho
h'St in picking otf the leaf or trash us it is
called- This is not the case where cotton
is newly opened. There is a peculiar
way of catching hold of the cotton, in 1
picking, that separates it entirely from j
all leaf. A yellow lock or rotton end j
never went into his gin house, unless it '
escaped the eye of the picker and dryer. ,
After his cotton was brought in from the (
field, however dry it may appear, it was |
scattered thinly on folding scaffolds.? ! |
the difference in price win more man
make up the clear gain.
After thus getting up tiiis nice article,
I hope you will not do with it as Doctors
advise their wives to do with dressed Cucumhers?"throw
them to the hogs," hut
send it to some solvent and knowing merchant
in New Orleans, who knows what
to do with that quality of cotton ; and if
he don't send you the best price in money,
will make the best exchange for sugar,
coffee, &c.
R. NUTT.
CONTENTS
or
the farmers' register, xo. vi. vol. x.
Original Communications.
Reports to the State Board of Agriculture:
1. On the most important recent
improvements in agriculture in lower Virginia?and
the most important defects [
yet remaining: 2. On the Brnndom
farms: 3. On part of Nanscmond conn- j
ty ; Report to the Cumberland Agricultural
Society on gypsum as manure;
I he times of the ripening of wheat in
different places; Tho farm and fanning
of the Rev. J. II. Turner.?Lime. No 5 ;
Editorial notes in reply, on liming; Remarks
on Mr. I'lirnpr s nmninns of rotil.
tions Lime, &c.; The wheat crop; Remarks
on Professor Bronn's theory con-1
corning the influence of the origin of seeds;
! Slugs destroyed hy lime.
o
SKLF.CTIONS.
I On the comparative merits of the Isaboll.i
and Catawha grapes, <kc.; Liquid
; manure ; Destructive insects; The seal
I devil caught at Charleston ; Need for j
Each hand knew his scaffold as well as he <
J id his ca'oin, and should trashy cotton <
l?e picked, the driver or overseer knew ( I
who did it. The morning's cotton was j 1
weighed at ten o'clock, so us, being the 1
lampcst, to give it the greater portion of (
lay to dry. A hand or two, sometimes .
uore, attended the scaffolds, to turn, loo- I J
son the cotton and extract the yellow ends i
n i 1
jr leaf that escaped the eye of the picker.
\To cotton was considered dried until the j
seed would crack when pressed between r
he teeth. Many persons have endeav. j
ured to persuade me that the cotton lost i
00 much in weight by this unusual dry- t
rn' I agree th it the seed loses perhaps t
1 tenth, hul deny that the fihrc loses an i
>unee unless unusually wet from rain or (
lew, which water would most assuredly ^
scape even wor? it thrown into the
muse. This drying, not only increases j
he go]den hue and prevents your green ^
ocks from rotting those packed away
iround them, but ensures to you sound
;eed for the next year. Many suppose that (
itnring away their cotton wet, as from v
he iield, and suffering it to heat, gives }
t the goldon colour so much admired by i
ho purchasers, particularly the French, c
I'his is a great in:stake. You can't put t
i dirty, dingy red, mushy cotton on a (
Venchman for the clour golden hue and
?
dastic lihre.
Now for the Gin. Get saws nine to j{
he inch My Father always used the j ^
? ' ?^ 1 ikarliM ixt! t 1 w? I
jurvcu gi.uc , *??? i, |/v.i imj#j i
straight may answer the purpose as well. | |
Use false grates?give your brush motion .
intil another revolution would send it all |
o atoms?you will thereby blow each fi- i (
>rc separate and lodge it at the far end j s
>f your lint room. You may have a Hue <
>elween twelve and twenty-live feet long,
with a floor of tin or cherry rods slatted
only ten or twelve, to catch the dust, fly- 1
ing particles of leaf, short lint and motes ;
escaping through the false grates ; he !
very careful in liling your saws to leave j
no sharp edge or your fibre will he cut. |
Also, to prevent the same, keep the mo- j
lion reguiar. 1 an: of the opinion that no | .
gin can make good cotton and clean mure ' ,
than two bales per day. j
Observing all the above mentioned
precautions, I did in 1^33 and '3(5 make
on my Father's plantation nine hales to i
the hand, besides an abundance of corn* ;
et ceteraand in seasonable years I be- i
lieve my brother now make* nearly or '
quite as much. So it is not at all probable
that by this extra attention to the
ga hering, c$*e. tliere is much loss. Even 1
should there be in the number of bales, J
i L j
agricultural experiments, <fcc.; Agricultu- >
ral condition of Pennsylvania ; Address ,
before Cayuga county Agricultural Soci- j
efy ; Casks for preserving grain ; History
of tbocano; A new source of the best
manure; New artificial manure; The!
influence of the origin of seeds on the !
quantity and qualify of crops; Sowing J
corn for fodder; Sings destroying the j
cotton crop ; The fruit garden ; Remarks
on draining, and particularly Smith's 1
Deanston system,
TRAINING HORSES?A CIRCUMSTANTIAL |
HOAX? i
Jlorsc training, by A. J. Ellis, B. j4.*J
Windsor, Oxhy.?Mr. Cutlin, in his work i
r>n the manners an 1 customs of the North
American Indians, gave the following
account of the method of taming the wild
buffalo calves, and wild horses.
"I have often, in concurrence with a
ivell known custom of the country, held
mv hand over (he eyes of the calf, and I
jrealhed a few strong breaths into its
fiostrils ; after which I have, with my
companions, rode several miles into our !
encampment, with the little prisoner husi- I
y following the bells of mv horse the
whole way, as close and all* ctionately as i
(s instinct would attach it to the company , <
>f its dam. This is one of the most ex- } i
raordinary things that I have met with i j
n the habits of thi> wild country, and al- i ;
hough I had often heard of it, and felt j I
jnuble exactly to believe it, I am now I
wiling to bear testimony to the fact from j I
he numerous instances which I have wit- j ;
lessed since I came into the country.? j
# Ua h mn T roeii lft/l r\ t t \ i i ^ r>r\t?f , 1
...w ............. . r^., I .
11 the s;?ring of the year, o.i my way up j i
he river, I assisted (in numerous hunts of
lie buffalo, with the Fur Company's men.) I
n bringing in in the above manner, several i
>f these little prisoners, which sometimes <
"ollow for five or six miles close to our j i
torses heels, and even into the Fur Com- j !
lany's fort, and into the stable where our I
lorses arc fed. In this way, before I left
or the head waters of the Missouri, I think I
,ve had collected about a dozen. I
In the same way, the wild horses arc i
amed. When the Indian has got him I
veil secured with the lasso, and a pair of i
lobblors on his feet, "he gradually ad.
ranees until lie is able to place his hand !
>n the animal's eyes, and at length to | I
ireathe in its nostrils, when it soon hetomes
docile and conquered, so that hems
little more to do than to remove the j
lobbies from his feet, and Ica.l or ride it j
nto cainp."
Mr. .Ellis chanced to read this account)
vhen on a visit in Yorkshire, and forsooth j
esolvcd to try the experiment. He and
lis friends were alike incredulous, and ;
.ought amusement from the nature, rather
han knowledge by the result?hut two j
experiments he was able te try, were both J
successful. Here is the particulars ol one '
if them :
"Saturday, February 12, 1842.?
While the last experiments were being ]
tried on the yearling, W. espied B , j
i farmer and tenant, with several men, j
it the distance of some fields, trying most i
ineffectually, on the old system to break
i horse. W. proposed to go down and i
fhovv him what effect had been produced j
mi the yearling. When the party arrived j
it the spot they found that I j. and his j
men had tied their filly short up to a tree |
in the corner of a field, one side of which j
was walled, and the oilier hedged in.? I
W. now proposed to B. to tame his horse |
after the new method. B. who was!
iH'nrc of the character of his horse, anx- ;
ioa.sly warned \Vr. not to approach it, |
cautioning him especially against the fore I
fbet, asserting that the horse would rear !
and strike hint with the fore feet, as it had i
'lamed' his own (li s.) thigh just before !
they had come up. \Y\ therefore procce-<
detl very cautiously. Ileeliincd the wall i
and came at the horse through the tree, j
to the tiunk of which he clung for some
time, that he might secure a retreat in
case of need. Immediately upon his
touching the halter the horse pranced
about, and finally pulled away with a i
dogged and stubborn expression, which
1 '
seemed to bid W. defiance. Taking advantage
of this, W. leaned over as far as
he could, clinging all the time to the tree
with his right hand and succeeded in
breathing into one nostril, without however,
being able to blind the eyes. From
that moment all became easy. \Y\, who
is very skilful in the management of a
horse, coaxed it, and rubbou his face, and
breathed from time to time into the nosIris,
while the horse offered no resistance.
In about ten minutes \Y\ declared his conviction
that the horse was subdued ; and
he then unfastened it, and to tho groat
and evident astonishment of IT, (who had
been trying all the morning in vain to get
a mastery over if,) led it quietly awav
with a loose halter. Stopping in the middle
of the field, with no one else near, W.
quietly walked up to the horse, placed his
arm over one eye and his hand over the
other, and breathed into the nostrils. It
was pleasing to observe how agreeable
this operation appeared to the horse, who j
put up his nose to rceeive the 4 puff.' In '
this manner VV. led the horse through the
tields to the stable yard, where ho examined
:ho lbro feet of the horso, who offered
no resistance?hut while W. was exam
ining the hind feet, bent its neck round,
and kept nosing W's. hack. Ho next
buckled on a surcingle, and then a saddle,
and finally fitted the horse with a rope.
During the whole of these operations the
horse did not offer the slightest resistance, j
nor flinch in the least decree."
Two experiments are all Mr. Ellis has,
had the opportunity of either witnessing,
or hearing the results of. Dut as he states, :
these have been to him perfectly sutisfac- \
tory ; and. as In^has no opportunity of!
carrying them^M), since he is unacquainted
with the tve?rnont of horses, and nei- i
ther owiJJy^nor to ho thrown |
in the wr^Hp^rnbr<jAftl colts, he has re- j
solved to publish these particulars, gentle- i
men, farmers, trainers, and others, may nt
least try so simple a plan, and thus test
and determine its value. Mr. Ellis is of
opinion, that this is the secret of the celebrated
Irish horse tamers.?and we remember
that in more than one recorded
instance of iheir power, they pretended
to whisper to the animal, and played with 1
h s head, and thus probably, breathed into
his nostrils.
From the Transactions of the N. V. Agricultural
Society.
english agriculture?a okance at its i
progress and prospects.
ft j John llnnnam, Nor ill Dr.rghton, '
Wclhr.roy, Yorkshire, England.
The paramount importance of, agriculture,
as a producer of national wealth, i
its capability of rendering a people inde:>en
lent of others for the means of life !
ind enjovment, have always entitled it to ,
[ake the lirst rank in a nation's estimation, j
And, although it has not always secured
this estimation, we shall find, if we cximine
carefully the records of both sacred
ind profane history, that the policy which
las sanctioned this neglect, has caused
ruin of the best Interests of the country.
But although this truth has been open j
to the ev^s of the world for ages, it is an i
extraordinary evidence of the perversity
if human intelligence that it is only with- |
in, comparatively speaking, a few yenis,
ihut it has been perceived, or at least acknowledged,
so as to ho acted upon in
Kngland. The effect, however, of this
knowledge has been so magical, yet so
ptlpahly evident; the improvement and
extension of agriculture, as a practice,'
has been so rapid, and its estimation, as
i science so great, that it would boa labor
worthy of the ablest pen to trace that
progress, because it is a labor that would
he fully appreciated by every inquiring
mind. Composed, however, as such an
inquiry should he, of a history of its condition,
principles, practice and statistics,
arid that too, in a country where an endless
variety, of.seasons and climate combine
to make exceptions to every principle,
to vary every practice, and to mystify
every calcanation, if would seem to b) a
work which, if not above the power of an '
individual, would require assistance every
that time and talent could secure him. To '
attempt, then, had we thejability requisite. ,
to give such a history, of even one branch
of trie subject, in a paper like the present,
and that too, in the f*w days which cir i
cumsiarices over which I have no control I
(I am now writing at exactly one montn
from the day, yet more than four thou- i
Jin.l miluc trill 11 1111> r? I :ip?i iif ii! ill linn linn
..W ........ ....... ..... ......... ...
I am able to give to in consideration, j
would be absurd. Yet, although the !
comprehensive nature of this subject pre- ;
v?*nls anv attempt at such a view of it, if is 1
attended with one advantage, its high
I
importance will give, even to this cursory i
" glance," which it would not otherwise I
possess. That this interest will not he j
entirely wasted, I have the presumption '
to hope. Information is the corner stone
of (rt'orc^/, and few inquiring minds can
bo led to the view of any subject in its
past and present phases, without making
some lesson for the future.
In entering upon the first part of our ;
subject, the progress of English agriculture,
the course that itself any good to
us is to divide it into those marked epochs
of transition, or chang.i, which are dis- |
coverable in the progress of every thing
connected with, or influenced by, human '
nature; and to look at the spirit pervading j
the practice at eaclj -,-riori. Taking, iio\V- j
ever, a general view of the subject, we ob- j
served but one period of m irked transition; j
a change from a state of things under !
O O
which agriculture languished for htm
C
?lred of years, without making nny advance,
to one, under which, in fewer
months, it has made wonderful progress j
and improvement. This is the great ;
phenomenon that presents itself to us in j
tracing the progress of English agricul- j
ture; and indeed that a science which was J
necessarily practised and extended with j
the increase of population, should remain, :
comparatively speaking, stationary; at ;
least that it should he surpassed by every j
other art or science, in all approaches to ;
permanent principle; and that, after a
tot pid existence for more than 1600 years, |
it should start at once into the vigor of!
youth, devolope, in the course of a generation,
the energies that centuries had fail- j
ed to elicit, is one of no inoan order. In |
order therefore, to illustrate this progress j
it will bo necessary for us to look, first,,1
at the practice of agriculture previous to I
the period of transition ; at the influence j
tending to produce a change; third, the:
result of these influences, as developed in '
the practice up to the present time.
Of the practice of agriculture in Eng. j
land before the Roman invasion, we And j
little mention made by historians. VVe
are told by Caesar that it had made some
slight progress in the counties of Somerset,
llantsand Wilts; that they grew corn,
manured the land, and had abundance of
-.
cattle; while the rest of the people led a j
more savage life, living upon the game of, ,
the forest and the spontaneous produc- ! ,
tions of the earth. After the conquest of, j
Britain, a change took place. " Where- ' (
soever the Roman conquers, he inhabits"
savs Sencera, (Consolat, ad Irlelvntt.vn c.
6;) and where he inhabited, HBpry.assures r
us he always carried1 the language, the (
manners, the arts and tho vices of Home. (
Africa, Spain, Gaul and Pannonia, are as j
is, attested by Apuleius, Straco and Pa- I ?
tereulus, evidences of tho manner in r
I
which 44 the nations of the empire insensi- j ^
blv melted away into the Roman name f
and people." And Britain, if we may bo- ;
lieve Tacitus was not an exception. I j
Thus, he tells us that Agricola, 44 to wean j
them from their savage customs, enticed J
thern with pleasure, and encouraged them
to build temples," &c. Also, that, "to es- i $
tablish a system of education, and to r
give the sons of the leading men a know. ^
ledge of letters, was part of his policy," , ^
and that by these and other means,44 they c
who had always disdained the Roman 1
language, began to cultivate its beauties. c
The Roman apparel was seen without , (j
prejudice, and the toga became a fashion- j c
able part of dress. By degrees the charms j ^
of vice gained admission to their hearts; s
baths, porticoes and elegant banquets] a
grew into vogue, nnd tho new manures, i
? ' I
which in fact seemed only to sweeten L
slavery, were, by the unsuspecting Brit- : (
ti a . i a n i i J I
ons, caiieu tneartsoi poiisuea Humanity. 2
With the other arts of Rome, it is but; ;
fair, therefore, to presume that her col-' t
onist.s introduced and practiced her agri- |
culture. Indeed, it must have been .
1 j
both introduced and encouraged, for we |
have it from the Emperor Julian himself,
[Orat^al S. P. Q. Afheniensum, p. 290.)
that he at ono time freighted a fleet of)
000 vessels with corn exacted from the j
Britons. " And if, says Gibbon, (ch. 19. 1
Decline and Fall of Rom. Empire.) u ire ; j
compute those vessels at only 70 tons each, ?
they were capable of exporting 120,000
quarters, and the country which could i
bear this must have attained an improved ! j
state of agriculture." <
From these facts, then, it will be evi. f
dent that if we would look at the condition |
of English ngriculture during the first five (
centuries, we must turn to that of Rome. { t
Indeed, our reason tells us that, practiced ; j
hv Romans themselves for more than 400 |
years, it must have approximated to that i ,
of the mother country almost as much as j '
climate and other differences between the (
two countries would allow. But altho jgh
I
we have no records illustrative of the sub- ,
ject, it is impossible for the fact to be oth- ! <
erwise; for at the period when f^nme ! ,
sent her colonists to Bi itain. agriculture, ,
W:i? n rwl r?mi 11 nnorl fi\r a ,r. > -j nl'/i'rwar.lj t.i i i
' ~ "" "e? 'w ww' , i
be the most honorable and esteemed of all !
professions. Her highest characteis, uinongst
whom it will suffice to mention
Cinoinnatus and Ctirius Dentatus, urn.
ployed themselves in the pursuit; and
Cato himself tells us that "when they
would praise a deserving man, he was I
called a farmer and a good husbandman." ;
s
But not only had it attained this estimation
as a profession, but had made no
mean advance as n practice- Industry
and observation had removed the errors of
ancient custom, ami Cuto, Varro, Cicero,
Virgil, Columella and Pliny had employed
their pens in promulgating its principles.
Thus, we are told that they cultivated
wheat, barley, oats, beans, peas,
!'Jp;iie3, kidney beans, tares, turnips, dee.;
also, the vines, olives, dec. Gibbon, too,
tells, (Dee, and Fall, c. 2.) that " the use
of artificial grasses become familiar to the ;
farmers both of Italy and the provinces; i
and that the assured supply of wholesome t
and plentiful food for the cattle (luring !
winter, multiplied the number of flocks j
and herds, which, in their tHrn, contributed
to the fertility of the soil." Thus, in
fact, they had partly approximated to i
that system which has enabled the farmer |
of the present day, by alternate white and I
?_rcen crop', to double the Value of his j
produce and to increase the fertility of!
his soil. '
Of manures, they used those animal
and vegetable ones which are at the pro- !
sent day employed. Lime, mad. and j
in n.'O (m* I ho
> (11 lUUd V<UllllJW9ia ni.iv/ ill uovs* vi ??.v ,
value, too, of liquid manure, and of the |
injui v done to the dung-heap by being too .
long exposed to the action ol tho atmos* |
phere, they were conscious, and dung i
pits in which to store it, in order to pre- |
vent the double waste. In this, they j
made a slight approach to the Flcmmings (
of the present age, whose careful management
of their farmyard manure, and the i
liquid from it, is worthy of our imitation. '
A still further knowledge of tho valuo of i,
manure is displayed by tho Romans in '
their burning the stubble, collecting ashes i
and even sowing green crops for the purpose
of ploughing in(Varro. I. c.,3.)
They also used top dressings of hot mn- ,
nures, such as pigeon's dung, powdered, i
which was put in with the hoe. In the
practical operations of agriculture, when
we take into account the simple median-1 '
isrn they employed, they were by no
means contemptible. Thus, Plinv tells?
us that they were particularly careful in
ploughing, endeavoring to have perf -ctly '
straight and even furrows. They i
ploughed the land three times over, alwavs
before sowing; sometimes taking a fur
row nine inch deep, and Hornetinies only
three. On heavy soil, nine ploughing* |
were frequently givon. They nude .t J
-wUvvil: ?
Fullow ev?r> other yenr. [rul-e 1 it would
tppear that the advantage arisini? la ve*
^etHiiun, from the soil bein# well pulwr?i
a* I I L n/>ii/n r<?p r!-? I n hoiriift ? utr.
inuj ?? fi" wgii r\uwn ii I I?/I v/tn?r ??vrn^ i?av?^
id, " Whet is good tillage?" answer*,
4 To plough." " VVhat la the next?"
4 To plough." 44 The third, to rnanur?,
Fbo remainder, is to sow plentifully, to*
ihoose the seed carefully, and to eradt*
:ato as rqaaV w?*edsas possible."
Fortius purpose, the hoe was used li?.
>oral!y. (Jrops, when too luxuriant were,
is now, depastured for a time. The seed
vaa sown in the ridge, as well as hroad*
rast fm row, a practice now termed 4rd>>ing,'and
which, with an efficient iyi<
em o"p!o ghing, if not superior, i?equal
o the drill system.
Among t ieir permanent improvement,
Iraining was ist-emed and practised in
oine degree, if we mnv judge by tho
nentiun madebv the Lati i writers, of tho
;ood eaecta derived from it, and by the
articular directions given as to their
?
:onstruetion.
Live slock, in which we include horses,,
xen, asses, sheep, goats, swine, geese,
lucks, hens, bees. Arc. Arc. occupied their
:are and attention. And the various
irecds were propagated upon principle*,
ome of which would he well worthy of
ittention at tho present day.
Indeed, lot us look which wnv wo will
ipon the subject, we find the highestiun*
ion in which it was held as a profession,
in index of its advance as a practice. It
s, therefore, fair to presume not merely
hat the Roman colonists introduced <x
lystem of Agriculture into Britain, as
itated by all authorities, but that they
n trod need the Roman system, and made
iso of Roman experience in practising
t. Reason tells us it must have been
10; for facts, some of which we have >
Mentioned, show tha' she did so, with re. ..
ipcct to every other art, sfi? nee, or ens.
om, not meiely in B Ham, hut wherever
>hu carried her victorious arms.
In the preceding sketch therefore, of
lie pruc.ice of the Ro nans, we obtain a
iretly correct, and indeed the only view
>f tiie agriculture of England during the
irst five centuries of the Christian era.
t is true that a difference in tho climate.
See. might cause some sli^h variation in
he practices of the two countries. B it,
n tho foregoing summary of agricultural
knowledge, as practised hv the Romans,
luring the time Britain wan a pari if ih. ir
Rmpire, it will be obvious that we have
recorded nothing but what was adipt.-d ;<i
England. It would therefore, he fair to
nfu, tk.l n?A... n,.Ali.u> I
iU??7| mill r*ri^ |;inMiuc ui*:iD III* ?l11? ?i|? ?|
was adopted. Assuming this, and lookng
forward for a thousand years, we oh.
<erve the phenomena which we have heore
mentioned, as characterising iho
irogress (if it be not an Hihernicisfn. so
oca!! it,) of agriculture till a late period,
t'or even if we make tho liberal allowance
'or a degeneracy in the science, owing fo
lie transplanting it from Italian to Eng.
ish soiI, wo cannot, till after the sixteenih
century, discover the least improvement
Jeveloped in I lie practice.
Thus we can find no advance made
n the use of tillages, in the construction
if implements, or in permanent improve-nents.
The old Roman system of an
lltcrnate crop and fallow, or at most, of
two crops and a fallow, still held its unquestioned
sway. Nor do we discover
inv traces of those artificial grasses
w.ii b G.bbon tells us increased the number
of herds and the fertility of the soil,
[t is possible, however, that the Romans
nerer did introduce these into England,
:>r they couM scarcely have gone enm;
ilete'y out of use. Owing to this, we find
hat the principal part of the lund'
was grazed on open commons; whiter
hose lands n??rest their habitation*^
wore cultivated fi?r the growth of corn.
I'he consequence of this was, that as there '
vis no fodder to he had, hot such as waA
Tro'.vn on natural meadow s, the cattle
;hirv^,l uj>on the hungry common during
winter, and the enclosed land, owing to
no manure being made, grow gradually
less productive. Thus we are told that
they experienced the greatest difficulty
u keening their cnttlo alive during win.'
tor; that many died and many were"
killed (to use an Irishism) to keep them
from dying. That their oxen, too, were
>o badly fed that it required six to plough
half an acre per day ; and that four times
iheseed was reckoned u lair crop, under
this management.
Their variety of crops was very limited,
oats, barley, rye. pease, being the staple
productions. Wheat, the fanner's pay.
mg croii, wan then very little grown.
Thus, Tusser says :
>* In Sufiblk again, whore wtiri( nicer grat"'
Even at the commencement of the
17th century, it was a luxury confined
in the tables of the nobility of the
land.
inn imiti important pari nl Iho tjrnipr's
possessions, was the live slock, An<|
it only wanted a better system oV management
m the production of, food, to
have made him progress in thin hrno^h of
his profession. Call to, however, coulrl
make hut a poor growth on the common
pastures, or indeed, noon an/ pastures
uurin^ me winter rnniilii*, and coim*quently.
they were a Hcar?*e a'.uek. Sheep
could do better upon lh?? method* and
thin, witn trie demand for wool, caused
tbeut totw kept m great quantum*. Tho
ne^icct of c.ittle for aheep. find * ?
crcui^J that we fi.iX it ordatucu, J**'
... . - - '?t
r i i