American husbandry : manuscript, [ca. 1775-1789]. MS Am 1563. Houghton Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

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at the distance of four of five feet square. it requires good land and much dung if plentifull crops would be gained and the soil must be kept clean from weeds by frequent hoeings beside ploughing cross and cross between the plants this is practised only by good farmers but it is a pity it is not universal amongs all the cultivators of this plants for none in the world pays better for good treatment proportioned to the value of its produce. Had Mr. Tull the Inventor of the horse hoeing husbandry known it or rather had he lived in a Country where it was commonly cultivated he would have exhibited it particularly as the plant of all others which was most farmed for his method of Culture even common farmers in some parts of New England have been struck with the excellency of ploughing between the rows of this grain that they have been presently brought to practise it is common so that it is now now longer an unusual

method

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method. One peck of seed is the common quantity for an acre of land and the produce varies from Twenty to Forty Bushels but from twenty to Thirty are generally gained. The expences of this Culture have been thus stated

Seed 6d. Culture 11/8 Harvesting etc. 3/6 £~ 15~ 8 Conveyance to Markett 4/6. Sundries 2/6 ~ 7~ £1.~ 2~ 8.

and the value straw included amounts to from 50/10 £4~ {Sterling} per English acre which is certainly very considerable but then their management in other aspects renders the culture not so cheap as it may appear at first sight for the New England farmers practise pretty much the same system as their Brethren in Canada they have not the Just idea of the importance of Knowing their Crops into a proper arrangement so as one may be a

preperation

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preparation for another and thereby save the barren expence of a mere fallow. Maise is a very exhausting crop scarce any thing exhausts the land more and this to so great a degree that thus being obliged to depend on this for food renders them more than any other Circumstance unable to raise Hemp or Flax in sufficient quantities for exportation or even for rigging their own Ships or cloathing themselves with linen Nor have they sufficient quantities of rich land upon which they can practise a management that would include both.

Beside Maise they raise small quantities of common wheat but it does not produce so much as one would apprehend from the great richness of the soil. This is owing to the peculiarity of the Climate for we have land in Europe that to appearance could bid favor to produce large crops but as I before observed

the

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the settlers in the North East part of the province have found that wheat is to be raised with no contemptible degree of Success.

Barley and Oats are very poor crops yet do they cultivate both in all parts of New England. The crops are such as an English farmer used to the husbandry of the eastern parts of the Kingdom would not think worth standing. This I attribute intirely to the climate for they have land equal to the greatest productions of these plants.

Their common management of these three sorts of grain Wheat Barley and Oats is to sow them chiefly on land that has laid fallow for two or three years that is left undisturbed for weeds and all sorts of Trumpery to grow tho at other times they sow oats or barley after Maise whcih they are enabled to do by the Culture they give the latter plant while it is growing. All their Corn here is

in

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in general sown in Spring from the common idea that the climate will not admit of an autumnal sowing but this is with exceptions for of late years some of the more intelligent Gentlemen farmers have in various instances broken through the old method and substituted new ones in their room. These have in various parts of the province substituted the Autumnal instead of the Spring sowing and with great advantage ~ In some parts of Connecticut and Rhode Island they have introduced the English System of making Clover a preperation for Corn. They leave the grass as many years on the land as it will yeild tolerable crops and then plought it up and sow wheat which is found a much better management than the common one. The Clover affords good Crops of Hay once a year besides an advantageous silage for their Cattle which is much better than leaving the land to cover itself with weeds.

Summer fallowing is in some parts of the province

not