Farmers' gazette, and Cheraw advertiser. (Cheraw, S.C.) 1839-1843, November 15, 1839, Image 1
I FARMERS' (lAZETTi! ' .
1
,# .?' it CHER AW ADVERT I ZER. V,
BHB
^nl otu?i?gwwt^i^u-TOTVT?. tw i ^iLa.?j?r.,T. ?-i '? 1 " ""--r-re?^M imjuu mi'vn -.w^wawawayyT it^t^M Bmy - ? L+*emmrf
VOLUME V. C1IERAW, SOUTH-CAR LOINA, FRIDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 15, 1839. * NUMBER 1. ^
I We SRA&
editor and proprietor.
ij TERM S:
Ijpuiu within tlirco months, - - $3 00
If paid within three months*after the
.inclose of the year, .. 3 50
# paid wit!iin twelve months aflcr iho
1 close of the year, 4 00
f ?ot paid within that time, - - 0 00
1 Two new subscribers will be entitled to the
'aper the first year forf.ee dollars, paid at the
rime of subscribing; and five new subscribers
br ten dollars paid at the time of subscribing,
j No pip-jr to be discontinued but at the option
,'f tho editor till arrearages arc paid.
[ Advertisements not exceeding sixteen lines,
- ? " ? I AS . fiA.r
Iunscriea tor one aonar inc nrs? uuic, ....j
fcents, each subsequent insertion.
' Persons sending in advertisements are requests
?o specify the number of times they are to be
iuse'ted; otherwise they will be continued til)
ordered out, and charged accordingly.
0*The Postage must bo paid on all communication*.
THE AGRICULTURAL *JATE OF SCOTLAND.
And what has that do with American
husbandry ? it may be asked. Much, we
rep'y. Wc may learn from what Scotland
was, and what she is ft agriculture, many ]
useful lessons in farming. Wc may learn I
our own errors in practice ; and, if we are ]
not tooproud, or too conceited, wo ma^j
learn, from Scotch lessons in farming how*
to correct them?we may learn from them
how to double at least, the products of out
agricultural labor. The history of Scotch
juculture for the last fifty years, is invaL
uMj to every farmer who would improve
bflBracuce. History is wisdom, teaching
b\jRcamplc.
c * We find a valuable essay in the E-lin.
I burgh Quarterly Journal of Agriculture,
1 showing what Scotland, was, and what she
is, in regard to her ?rgricu!:uro* She was
in 1784, two yeais after the close of our rev
] olulion,44 as poor as a church mouse.** SV
I is now perhaps, the richest in agricultural
products of aoy portion of Great Britain,
- j i , , I
D at least so tar as regards rur araDte lanas.
Tip writer describes the face o: the coun'ry
at he middle of :he last century,44 no better
than that of a black, howling wilderness,
am, well, he adds, ni gh: the pot t at the inn
witdow indite?
h A
'Black are thy hills of north,
Njft fertile are thy plcins,
, J B ire-legged arc thy t?y/nphs.
Art? puis cuiottsthy swains."
'* 4 In 1784, a few gentlemen, full of z^al
fu their count it may bo a 1 tile love of so^^^rir.y,
formed themselves into a sort of
aftd corner club, in a coffeehouse call
HV ^ the Exchange, situated in the court of
H tht name, near tlie market cross of Edinbrgli
" Here, in the enjoy men: of ??greca
ItU#coaversion and a good supper .am 'hose
ibrthies alk over plans for the ameliora.
Un oftlic Highlands, and from this nucleus
dose the now vvi July extended and powerfil
Highland Society."
" To say what was the state of agrirultire
in Scotland at the date of the formation
cf the Highland Society, would, to do it i
ninuely, require greater scope than the
~r *? ,
willis ui (1 ptnvui^ni uumhii
* But, to take one swe^p over hill and
and meadow, we may nt
H^MBto^Wpince the agriculture of Scotland,
HB that piiod, io have been wretched?ex.
^^^VcrabiyId in all As localities? Har ly
wha was attempted to be grown ;
B^Bats full fthistles was the standard crop <
iHVand this is repeated on the greater part of i
HVtiioarabMand,while it would produce twice
^B^^s^dtrown inro it : turneps, as part of i
IB potatefcs were raised, on i no grass seeds or
bung pu! on ali'S"it of groat,d I
I near the farmstead, an 1 there they grew :
I jdRJC barely of die coarser sort, t rmedfore, I
I wherewith ?o make bannocks, broth nnd <
I urnall beer, or peradventurr, if the farm i iy <
I at t!ic foot of the Grampians, to bjrw a I
E portion of' mountain dew!' S nee the wri- <
| tor can recollect,a great part of the summer i
I was employed in the now for fertile s\jire I
p of Fife ?n pulling thistles out of the oats^'I r
and bringing them home for the hors-s, or i
mowing the ruah is and otner aquatic-plants \
that grew on the bogs around the hotyfi?
stead* Such was the stale of Sootlaq?, i
with but little appearance of amendment,
up to 1792." \ *]
The general on line of this p etnre bf j
I wretched husbandry is suited to the present i
condition of many districts on the qasiorn j
hordes of our country, though the filling up '
of thc^picture woulJ require to be somewhat
different. ?
< Titne, with her ccaseles3 wing, liad
now broughtin another century, and on the
a nival of the nineteenth, the richer part of
thetyv cnu:,rry had put ortanotlwr aspect.
^ l^xidtjful fields of wheat were to bo seen?
(IrilleAgfevin crops and clean fallows every
1 * .... *t
I where ttf>ounue?i .ho
I 'Tffl
I nns, ull ibis was carrieo ', " "' I
I' Thefiirm-r.forgot |
coming money romi > "
was their motto. Thov went n?r ^ *
. . y ;u nt on ?'i ii inost
roc!; less manner ihey b^,,, Wp prey.hounds,
to bo members of ours; c|uh< !
- subscribed to tip. silver cup/ 0r >>upJ
stakes, and yelped the s,.nK 1)0{c 0f
as tr.eir betters in birth, their equals in exfravagnnco
and vice. Then WlowrJ ycornanry-.'.races
the good sturdy n*g that
would be of vs'iata thns in the operations
of the firm, was cxeh.ingrfj for \ blood
1 steed, awl on market-day. instead oi ration|
ul conversation best about matters connec.
I f.?d with their own calling, they fr-gun 4?o
I talk4 knowingly' about the turf. At ibis
I time, % from 1910 to I8?4 the ngr<'.
I 4
cultural horizon was the brightest ; the gas j
was full up, the nation was alive, rJi was
activity ami business.
But.at this time th'2 battle of Waterloo,
came, and with it peace and low prices.
Farmers cottlJ net sustain their cxtrava.
gancc?.thgy had' then been unable to bear
prosperity?and the r farms fell into the
hands of mere prudent managers. We
have seen much of the same routine of industry,
extravagance and poverty, among
I the farmprs ofour own country. Not willing
to 4 let well enough alone/ they have
embarked i:: speculation, or in pursuits to
which they were strangers, and have gone
into extravagances nnd follies, to ape the
grea4, which their means did not warrant,
and which neither their comfort nor the welfare
of their children required. * The consequence
often has been, tha\ like the indiscreet
Scotch farmer, their lands havu
come into the possession of more prudent
managers.
But though Scotch farmers failed, from
not knowing how to hear prosperi y, Scotch
! husbandry did not retrograde.
44 In 1815, tlieturnep husbandry had got
o firm Isold in the country?the benefit ac
curing from it was so apparent, tnai no com
vulsion in the market prices could make the)
^rnvrs forsake if." , * ->
Yet the culture was limited;'owing first *
to the want of manure to feed the turnep
*crop, destined to fatten the firm stock ; and '
secondly, to the expense of driving their
cattle to a distant market. Two discoveries
removed these impediments. The first,
" the most ituportaxxir" our author,
14 that ever occured in the annals ofugricul- .
lure, viz. that efbone dust," and the second,
the application of steam, by our countryman,
Fulton, to the propelling of vessels, w hich
enabled the Scotch farmer to transport his
fat animals to Siniihfiel I market, at a mod- 1
crate expense. " So palpable was tli.? benefit
to be derived from the use of bone ma- 1
nure, that in a few years there was not a 1
farmer who did not avail hirnS' If of i'. The >
farmers could now grow turnrps to any ex- l
tent, and the bare fallow was exploded."? 1
We have bone dus% and poudretle, and o'h- I
er newly discovered means of feniliy,
which the farmer.is shy of buying and using.
We have tried them all. Qtd are sitisfifd
both of their utility and the economy
oi uieir application, espeeiary upon naiur- j
uKy dry or well drained soils. 'They add
much to tho prodncil" of ngricullural
labor, without any filing like a corres- (
ponding ouday. The Scotch fannyr could i
oowgrow turn-'ps to any extent. I le could
fatten upon tli'-se his s ock, and ho could ^
send this stock into market at a trivial ex
pense, for the 14 steam engne had become r
his drover.
But another?n third improvement fallowed,
which we have vet to learn the value
of?we mean furrow draining on Hat and
tenacious soils. Hear what our. author
says upon this subject:
44 No man holding land ought to he ig <
norant of the thorough or D?unston drain.
Mi. Smith, deeply engaged in the cotton r
spinning trade, could not procure a fall of
water on the river Teith, ten miles west of c
the castle ofS.erling, without renting along
with it a considerable portion of very bad
and wet land No liking to have heavy
rent to pay for such trash, Mr. Smith turned
his powerful mind to the subject, and perCtiivin''
the f'nllv of lhrnwimr awav hi rife *
r> ""v " o ~ /
sums of mone}r on deop and useless drains,
with all i ho s'ufF of tipping, and boring, to c
catch the water as it wore a wild beast for
which gins and traps must be laiJ, hit on p
;hn idea of making drains in parallel lines in
every ridge, tuning them to
the dcjfh of thirty inches, filling tlrm with
small stones halfway to the surface, above
his pu ling a green turf reversed, and repla- g
?ing the mould. Following up f>i? first
Jiscovery hy ploughing deep, he has now a
arm of the finest land ever seen ; and so
:onvinrcd is the writer of the utility of this t
node of draining, that each year he has
jccn increasing the quantity h? has made,
md during the last twelve months has put
n above fill ten miles. Nods the Deanston
Irain confided to thos" parts of tlw country t
Ujbe.re stu|ie or grave! can be procured : the
system can he and is followed with
the same effect, by 'using the Marquis of
T wife's :i!c ; or even the poorest farmer, <j
wiio h\sSftot capital to uajgfttfke costly improvomeiifviau
fertilize his farm hy making }l
the tlnrt^inhli drains and filling them with
brushwood. It is perfectly wonderful to c
liehoM I hd* mighty change litis thorough
drain sys'cir. is making in the different parts r
of the count rtr where it is in operation : j
wetland is m'ljo dry, poor weeping clays
converted iutotunvp soil, and even would
formerly have bora accounted dry, i$ ad.
vanced in qisVii'v. Whole parities in the j
vicinity of Stirling arec-ompleHy transformed
from unsigh Kr marshes into beautiful
and rich wli at fields,and whero the plough
could scarcely be drivel for slush and wa- *
ier. we see heavy crops per *cre and heavy t
w.-igld per bushel,the qu mtity* and quality
j alike unproved." * * * * %\
" li is the grea'est qu infry produced at
1 the cheapest rate that will overtake a pros.
I porous trade. If wheat is lowr-p pricu,the ,
: fanner must hcs:ir himself. LeV hira reI
member that if he ran but row- one ortwo
j quarters i>ore p -r acre, he will lie a h^tj
ter prNi^jon, ev?n wi h the low price, thau\\
j he was fiHcre." \
j lu Speakingol die IJighhfnJ Society,
'writer enumerates. ?i,c * following means
! which that sicioty ad(tpu<J, as cdh'ributio^
largely to the mighty advimp?? oftho ngjri,
culture of Scotland : I
; " In the days of its youth and '
v. '
the Highland Society sent the leaven of the 1
turnep husbandry into all ihe glens and
straths of the north, bv offers of snail prizes
to certain Highland parishes ; and the same
may be said as to the growth ofclovernnd
fine grasses. As it advanced in strength,
(as to number and cash,) attention was turned
to premiums tor s'ock"; then camo offers
of reward to men of science to discover
better implements and machines, to diminish
friction nnd consequently draught, such as
in the thrashing miil and other parts of agricul'urn!
machinery. S ill advancing i i the
scale of in'eilect and of science, premiums
were offered for essays to bring to li.-ht tl#
facts connected with chemistry and na ural
philosophy ; and, under the auspices of the
society, was set up the -Quarterly Journal
or Agriculture, a work winch has ban
the vehicle of conveying so much useful information
to the agriculturist, that we hum-:
~ I
bly venture to snv it ouglp to appear on the j
table and book stv lf of every farmer's par- j
lor. After litis, the great stock shows were j
resolved upon as another link of union befejen
the Society and the practical farmer, at
the same lime throwing aside all paltry
fetging, nnd making them open to stock
from both sid s of the Tweed, [i. e. from
England Us well as Scotland.] How well
they have succe ded, le the las' one at Glasgow.
bear witness. [This w s the most
splendid show of fine catde ever exhibited.]<
Nor has thesociely forgotten the beauty of
the country, as the premiums offered in regard
to planting trees and such iike sub- (
Jecfs futfvTesliJV ; and to sum up all, it may
be said, the Highland been n '
point /i' appui, a rallying point., to which the 1 (
agriculturists of Scotland might look, and a
fostering mother to nil who, although strong ]
in talent, were weak in interest to make it
public. An ardent lover oftfie plough and
all that can speed if, the writer of this article ' f
would advise the society of England, and !
nil other agricultural societies who would bo
useful to their country, to look into the nnn.. j
als of the Highland Soc.ety, and from them : .
o call whatever may b? of use in the ad_ ( ,
vaneement of the delighiful science, the cul- j t
lure of the fields. * IJ
"The men
Whom nature's works can charm with Gad (
himself (
Hold converse; grow familiar day by day
Willi his conceptions ; act upon bis pi mis, '
And form to his the relish of their souls." <
The Highland Socie'v have this year of^j.
bred prizes to the amount of Si7,000, un- J;
lur the following classification-; ^ ,'j <
Class 1.?Agricultural maehinery, 500 . t
iover?'igns and a gold and silver modal. | (
Class II.?Essays ?nd lepor's on vari- 1 i
ins subjects, embracing ihirty-one subjects ' t
if high interest to the farmer viz : j \
1. Geological surveys. 1 ; c
2 Reports on iconl districts. [
3. Mines and mi?"ra!.s. . c
4. Pro lucts of peat moss,- Are. t
5. Comparison between different kinds c
if manure in raising potatoes. j t
6. E vended application of water and t
>ther power to farm purposes. r
7. Comparative efficacy of the two modes' t
if thorough draining. / t
8. Reports on irrigation. ti
9. Forest planting. / a
10. Sheep pastures at high el :vations. ; I;
11. Improved sheep salve. I |j
1*. On crossing the Cheviot with the J r
STew Leicester ram- I il
13. Cultivation oftlm recently introduced j li
:er? al and otlier grains. i v
14. Feeding farm horses on raw and j s
irepared food. 'J
15. Early rearing and fattening of lambs. *
10. Insects injurious to agricultural plants, j o
17. Insects injurious to. forest trees.
18. Cornpara:ive nutritive properties of j o
[rassos. / !i
19. Exhrpnting ferns from/pastures.
20. Thorough.draining. V v
21. Subsoil ploughing of tliorough.drain- s
d land. -v./ fj
22. Mole plotsgh. i tl
23. Experiments with manures. il
24 An dysis of 5onn ornpeduSt. v
25. On the effects of altitude on vegeta- n
ion. il
20. Feeding of cuttle. . s
i *
27. Forests of lurch* ti
28. On raising improved varieties of li
[rains. -> . y
29. Reports on improving rural economy I)
i broad. v r
39. Honorary premium for reports or. v
certain districts in Scotland.
31. Investigation of dr ain points con- s
i<'eted with the science of agriculture, viz r
\n essay or memoir explaining on sci-n ifie t
< principles* thejnndc iu?w1i;eh soil op'-rates d
in producing or facilitating the gcrmina. y
tion tlnd growth of wfge:ab!es. v
\n essay or mojnoir describing an J proving, a
one scientific principle, what is the bes: f
admixturofof the ordinary e|emcn:s of e
sod. tor promoting tlie ''.germination and j l
crowili of oarticular veiieiabh'S. I c;
? v r? ^ . . 1
\n ess ?y or ui'nnoir d? scribui^, on scientific r
principles, the mode inf&hieh lime oper- I
ales in rendering the soil b?;rt??r ad.-ytt'd I
for the germination and grow h of pnrlic- fc
ular vegetables. ? ! .
\u essay or memoir explaining, on scientific i
principles, the ofTect of drainage it? idler. $
ing iho constitution ot* ouabains of the *
sod, and increasing, its feni'i v. 1
An essay or memoir, showiug^the nature
of die atmospheric influences ogtsoil, in t
promoting its fertili y, includ ng tht> mod- i
Jfk'ation of ihese influences arising from |
hc& and cold, dryness and moisture. i
Class 1II.--Waste lands?their improve. I
went hyVllag5.\ -I
Class XV\?Crop** and cui'urc* 1
Class V.?Pastures? their management.
Class VI.?Live stock?district compc.
litors.
Class VII.?Products of live stock?butter
and cheese
Class VIII.?The best cottars and cot(age
pardons.
Class IX.?(jJeneral show of live stock
and agricultural meeting at Inverness.
H .ving shown, bv our quotations, something
of the vast extent of the recent improvemen
s in the agriculture of Scotland,
and theinHu'-nec which its agricultural society
has had in promoting rhese irnpiovemcnts,
we have given the above sketch of
their premiums, as indicating tlie means
they have adopted, and are adopting, to
hrin^bout thisgreat and salutary change
?to show how vast a freld they/' occupy,
and the great bearing which science is made
to have in the imorovement ofifhe soiC and
iii the ojn.Ta'ioa of the farm. Cultivator.
From the (Edinburgh) Fanner's Migazitie.
LETTERS FROM A YuU.VG SCOTCn FARMER, AT
SERVICE TO HIS FATHER- -CONCLUDED.
July 2Sj?Since my last, a material
change of weather has taken place, whi^h
occasior.p l much positive loss in the first
instance, and a great dealol additional labor
afterwards. It is under such circumstances
that the judgn ent and activity of the fartner
comes to be most completely ascertained
; 6ccau.se t e derangement of his
usual plans throws every branch of work
out ol shape, and causes a resort to nieas
u res of expediency or ofa temporary nature,
in vii^j) n situation Mr. Janueson shines
conspifcously. ITis nitnd secm9~STorctt
with resources for every emergency, and
the difficulty of the case appears to give
increase! sTcngth to his natural powers,
ric shapes his .conduct to the circumstances
under whFWTie is placed, constantly preserving
the greatest order and regu arity.
Last week a violent and continued fain
for twenty*four hours occurred, which, :o
i certain extent, floated the fallow field,
wetted I he hay ricks, stopped ?I?e thinning
ind cleaning of turnips, and lodged at least
>ne half of the corn crops on the farm.
With such a number of people, many far.Tiers
would have been thrown into u ter
Refusion, or at least one half of those be.
o?v them would have remained idle, while
>thers would hot have been much more
irofitably employed. .$ot so with Mr.
[imieson~ for the rainy day was as throng
i one as ever 1 saw since 1 came here. The
severalInventories we reexamined, and de.
rciences.noted down with the greatest oo
:uracy two'pair of fanners were set to work
n dressing ul corn. The lofts were sweep
id, Justrd and cleaned; :n short every one
/vassedulously employed. When the rain
eased, my whole corps were ins'andy des.
vttched to the fallow and turnip fields, and
i.xpress ord> rs were given me not to suffer
i dropjof water to stand on any of them ;
jf coirse 1 IriJ not a dry foot while in the
ield, but fortunately was no' the ' worse of
his treatmea\ having taken care to shift
egularly after working hours. When thus
dnployed, Elii ?t and his ploughmen weft
nisy in removing dung from the farm-yards,
m l mid Jening it in a reguhr manner on "an
idjoining field of grass-land, where it is. to
>e used next winter, and as two hund/ecJ
lollsof wheat had been lately sold, Mr. Jameson
took this oppor'unry of delivering
1 to tlx: mediant. Even Howard and his
lords were not tule ; for, as several markets
ere held at the time, lie and they were
cldoni ut home at this troublesome period.
Phe thrashing machine was likevvi =c so buily
employed after the wea her settled, that
ur \tack-yard has become nearly cmp'y.
Every thing seems now to be restored to
rder except the li.iy, which will give us a
tile trouble before it can he safely stacked.
Ir. Jamicson says it has received damage
diich cannot be cured, and that I will soon
ec the extent of injury done to !r?y, by a
nil of rain, while in the cock. Flu adds,
nat it is nuicii less hurt by wetness during
lie early stages of die winning process than
dien in the cook ; because the natural fernentatJon
winch necessarily takes place is
lien reinforced by artificial auxiliaries, coneipit'n
ly tliat n degree of putridry ensues,
vvttnhly injurious to the article* Fairbairn
as re urneJ to the turnip field; und tuc
oung plants being all thinned and set out,
rj is g )ing over them a second time, cor.
D O
ecling former errors, and destroying every
reed that has recently vegetated.
August 4//t.?The buy is now safely
:acke I, though a good deal of work was
equired b?'ore we got it into sue!) a condi.
1 ^ \m r ff I
io;i as to ??tisly rvjr. Jamteson. i uren
lays a jo, when fine sunny weather and
1^'a lie wind prevailed, our united strength
ras employed to take down the cocks and
Vpose the'wet parts to their beneficial inlueiicoj
after wiiichthc whole was re cockd,
great care being taken to mi* the excrna!
and internal purls together, so as the
1'ial ty in gl^ be equal, and any moisture
mn.'Muini* in the damaged parts absorbed
>y what was in good condition It stood
or the night in these new rnude cocks, hut
iext tlay promising good weather, the carts
vere sat to work about nine.,o'clock, and
n that and the following day the whole wus
$<>( into the slack-yard. It to put up in two
'lacks, each containing about five thousand
Scotch stones, or fifty.five lvtglish lr>:i<jsi?
l'ii? oharg ; ol'su^MTi.
iietcaris was coritfnitrtT" to me, and I had
"oil proofs of the truth of Mr. Jamieson's
previous opinion respecting tlie damage ;
I104U parts of the cock that woro wetted,
[hough made perfectly dry, breaking with
the slightest touch, and appearing altogether
<kwoi'I of Gubstauc-C. Mr.Janiicfccn rays
JL.
,IIP" 1
aac?TrTCTiint?MaMgaBaBaeaaM??
the damage will not be so apparent afici
the stackswent has ensued, though perhaps
he moans that the partial damage, licing
thus transferred to the whole stack, will not
he so discernible as when confined to a
certain portion of it. The stacks are to be
immediately combed down, completely cov.
ered with straw nnd hard roped, so as they
may he secured from tne storms of winter.
I observed that where clover was m ;st
plentiful, the hay had suffered most; and,
vice versa, that the cocks containing the
greatest qnanty of rye-grass were least dam.
feed. H id the cock ben of clean clover,
I am almost sure that it would have been fit
only for -lie dunghill.
August 10th.?The fallow is now dunging,
uticJ four heads of carts, or sixteen ulto
gether, are employed at this business.?
E tch head requires two men to fill, an 1 one
to pull out the dung from the cart, while :h<*
carter drives the horses regjlailv forward ;
and one man and three women spread the
heaps laid down by each head of carts, so
thai thiry.lwo men and twelve women arc
thus employed besides the overseers. M>
post is at the dunghill. Elliot looks after
the carts in the field, and sees that the dung
is properly drawn out, while Fairhairn manages
the spreaders. We ju>?t take out si 1
. I I 1 ? t 1__ .1 1 i
ty jouus a oay prrr noun, or two minurcu unu
Tor y loads altogether. Fifteen of those j
'cuds, or thereby, applied to un acre, Scotcn |
measure; and as each load, from trial, is!
found to contain a trifl ? more than one yard
and u half of cubic measure, you may hafe
a tolerable no:ion respecting the extent ol
t e application. In this way we dun?
. about sixteen acres per day, so that in li tie
more than "six tim-wliole Jiundred acres
of fallow will be gone over. Mr. Jamieson
is very exact about the spreading, asserting
[ that the benefit of the application depends
in a gre^t measure upon the accuracy with
which this process is executed; or more j
plainly speaking, that fifteen loads, well I
spread are of us much use as twenty loads
imperfi.xily separated and divided.
The turnip fields are now complete!)
finished oft', and present a notable prospect
to the amateurs of good husbandry, having
very few blanks, and containing scarcely a
single weed. The ruta-baga seemed shy
of growing for along lime; and, though
now more forward, stdl presents more naked
so l than t he yvllo^ and white turnip.
The horse, or yam potatoes, show a
strong fuliagc, and perhaps will ultimately
he found to return us much root as the ruta-bi.ga.
All our com fields are looking
well, and some oi tijein are holding on:
s'gns for the sick1", especially the early oats,
and first nown barley. .Mr. Jarnieson has
intimated iha: I am to assist in the fi< !d ;
and frivrn m? umrniiitr fhnt fn nt prcra thorn
is n post of no l llle trouble. lie has gone
the length of declaring, that the corn farmer
must b? a slave during the harvest quarter,
if he wishes his affairs rightly managed ; so
I easdy understand, if the master is a slave, .
that Ins disputes cannot be characterized as i
filling a much higher station. shall, however,
endeavor to do my duty,
the advantage will compensate the
at which it must be gained. Every principle
connected v\ iih honor and interest call for
exertion on my siJc,?espcciairy as Mr. f** .
mieson lias never ceased to treat me witli J
urbunity, and more like a son, than one sent J
to learn husbandry under his inspection and ?
direction.
August 20ill.?Harvest has partially
commenced, though, not having ?s yet
drawn out our whole strength, Fairbairn has
only been employed in the management.
Next week that important branch of rural
economy will be undertaken in names',
when Howard and ( are to be called into |
action. Elliot is reserved for his horsemen,
tt ?
who. i understand, are rarely taken to the J <
fu-IJ unless there is a deficiency of hands. I
At this time he is throng ploughing down!
the dung put on the fallow fi? l<^ which works '
in a capital sty lc : and on this furrow it is j'
meant to sow the wheat srrd about the end ji
of September, providing a fresh growth of;
weeds does not appear before that period. j
The slack-yard was lately emptied and j
cleared f r the new crop. My squad are j <
making rraw ropes for tying down the j i
thatch used in covering flic stacks, and tv. j
ory thing is arranging as fust "as possibk, so j j
as interruptions may be avoided in the gtciii j i
work before us. j \
September 2.?The past Week has been j
a busy one; and I seize upon a leisure hour, i,
allowed by a heavy shower falling, to ac- j
quaint you of our proceedings. Oq Mon day
morning, our forces wire mu&tcrrcd
for harvest work, and were divided .into
twelve bands of twelve shearers, and two
fraudsters each, four of which were com-.
mitted to the charge of Fuirhairn, the like
number to me, and the remainder to How.
urd, our ncad shepherd. The ranking or
sorting of the people wus done with e*pedi.
tion by Mr. Jamieson, who seems quite up
to a matter of that nature ; and though halt
an hour or thereby might be lost before the
ranking was completed, yet all that hurry
and confusion which, wi:ho'ut it, would in.
eviiobly have ensued, were altogether k'5pt.
clearer of, and the whole regiment enteredto
work at once upon a horn being soupied-i
by Fuirb.urn, who is first iu coirtrrtted be
low Mr. JamLsuA. *
* * - IWo
had a good deal of drilling the first|
day, and not a few worn dismissed the s"r.1
vice ns unqualified. Those wmhf constantly
replaced from a supplementary corps
which remained at home, and, before night,
our discipline was tohrahlo perfect. Mr.
Jamieson, who Commanded in chief, when
he' EQliccd nnv onts not working 'o hi? mind,
>
v '
* ^
m ' - -
r always addressed suchrin a calm but steady r"\B
i manner; explained how he wished his
work performed ; and requested, if they
w< re incapable of doing what he required,
that chey would give p wnbout further
trouble. About a doze ft us in the course
o! the first day, who w if always paid for
the time they Ind wrought,but no more.?
The hours h?re are frolh miq to Ksun, with
nu hour for breakfast, an 1 ilie like time for
dinner. Twenty minutes nst are alstf sulowed
both in forenoon and afternoon,
victuals are brought to the field in threa
carts, one for each division; and tin? band,
s ers of the different bnnds act as JisTrib;.. ;
:ors, after the portions are measured out
or set apart for each band by t!?e person
who drives the cart.
* * ? *
Jtn. 16.?After two or three days frosf,
a heavy fall of snow came on last week,
which, fot a time, has effectually slopped
fi?*!J operations. Ail Ell'oi's peopi** and
some of mine, me therefore employed in removing
dung from the straw-yard, which iu
middene i on tlic field intended for turnips,
and with every coat of dung, or, more
properly speaking, unrotted straw, another
of snow fallows, wlficii in my bumble opinion,
will have a powerful effect in hastening
pu:refaction ; because, independent of ail
chemical reasoning on the subject, the snow
will only m< It in a gradual manner, there.
; by moistening the dunghill much more cfi
feciually than if the greatest quantity of vra|
icr had been thrown upon it. Mr. Jamie
! sou U'.eMres, mat tie nov? r saw a bad ftul or
! dung, when mixed ep wish a fail quantity
! of snow; and that this iacorpora'ion ought
I not to be neglected, when the means ore
gratuitously provided by .he ch-mcats. [
omitted to mention, that the turnip dung is
1 also laid in layers upon the dunghills, and
thai the whole is carefully shaken and
spread thereupon. Wo have already got
out a large quantity, nod, should the storm
continue, th"yards will bo cleared, flow,
over, as there is an immense pd of straw
in the centre yard, from wtjicii the places
bared of dung arc eon^.m !y covered, there
will, in a little time, be as much accumulated
as ever. About o:n th;r?J of thd stuck*
yard is emptied; and, should the slonn
continue after the farm-yards are cleared,
Mr. Jam.'pson $*} ? be means to thrash incessantly
till good weather returns.
My squad have^par.!y b vn employed,
for two months past, in eu ting hedges, and
some of them are remarkably dexterous at
thfft operation. Mr. Jam eson has a;! his
hedges broad at bottom, and narrow at topv
and in tnis way a fence is obtained, infinitely
superior to the best s'one walls. A very
f;UV Vfi.Offi /t'tfiii fit f ItO Itn/ri nnm
?%> ? j *'Mi a vu V| v* v pUll UfVIII
into u situation for this mono of training;
and if that cnrc is continued till they arrive
at maturity, the after expense is perfectly
trifling. Many farmers, good in other res.
pects, are careless and indifferent about
their fences, and neglect to protect uu i train
up what was originally plunted at a considerable
charge. Without entering upon tho
genera! question, viz, the necessity ?!Tences
in every casij, all i would say, is, that # mm.
wliera they hove been reared; a 6uitablsnt?
tentionought lobe bestowed upon tbem of
j&r wards. Where a hedge is planted, it
Rust be taken for granted that it was deemed
necessary; therefore, i.eglecJicg it at*
lerwards mus: be considered us unpardonable
conduct.
Jan. 30.?I am now preparing to depart
from 11 place where I have et:jo\od much
happiness, a5d, seen a great deal of business
; having little more to do, bat to get the
inventory of incitements tqltcn 6Jf my hands#
nod the sevi rui accounts due to the men
utid'T my clwrge cxuniine'd and audited.
These tilings, I confess, arc Kbsolately nc.
cessury ;?s'ill they domot atfoid me satis.
action, because they remind ir.3 that I am"
:o leave the service of a gentleman who has
uniformly behaved tounoiike a fatlirr- and
that I am, no more to associate tviih fellow
servants, from whorn-I received uncommon
instances of friendship and favor. Duty to
you, however, is r. perm merit prin.-ipte in
my breast; and though feelings cannot 1 o
overcome ail at once, yd still ttase, which
impress mo at the moment, w.jl not, I hope,
in the slightest degree prevent mo fro.:: enjoying
the like liuppines* nt your freside,
is I have experienced i t this hospitable nun.*
sion.
The day before ycs'erduy Mr. Jamieson
sent for me from the field, and I wait ad
upon him immedin.'tdy. "GeorgH,* say^,
he, "I am more at leisure just ucw than t
probably r^ay be at your departure ; there,
fore cannot employ ^myself bettor than in
giving you a few advices, which,likely, may
bo useful when you seitle in the world,or in
your passage through it afterwards. In N
the first place, l^t me assure you, that I am
well pleased with your behaviour when in
my service, because a has been steady, reg.
ular, and inoffensive; but on these points I
moon to write my gooJ old friend, yourfatb<t,
which will bo more satisfactory to him ^?
than nny thing communicated through
your nrxi^m. In the 3econ^lpiP<l,W?,^
commpYi^nostcurge^^ would
ako of your conduct and beiwHrou^hcn
entering into active life, because
1 have l^nown roo?y young men get
Character stamped upon them at that time,
which no future alternation of conduct was
capable of removing. Be consistent and
steady therefore in your actions,?cautious
in foxing schemes and connexions,?hut- jki
firm utyi determined in the ext^ution,?
Think for ydursell at all times, and, thought
n is ofcn-wise ttnA pr^hnt to refrain jrfrm
communicating our thoughts to othefc, yct^_? j
at no time, act contra?y ta the * \