ENPages
April 12th. 1852.
Commenced planting this morning (Monday) with eight openers & coverers in the Spencer field. The ground is too wet however, a tolerably heavy rain having fallen last night & a light one on the 10th.
Planted the Spencer field and about 12 acres of the Lewis field - in all about 67 acres
Began to use corn out of the East crib at the stables yesterday
Manured about 10 hills of corn on the 2nd, 4th, 6th & 8th rows of the 58 acre Gin field, at the south west corner, with Plaster of Paris; about 8 hills on the 10th, 12th & 14th rows, with hydraulic cement; about 6 hills with Ripley Marl on the 16th row, and about 6 hills on the 18th & 20th rows with unleached ashes
Also manured about 10 yards on the 5th, 7th, 9th, 11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 21st & 23rd rows from an old oak in the Spencer field (numbering the row the oak stands in) with Plaster; about 10 yards in the 25th, 27th, 29th, & 31st with H. Cement. Then beginning at the 4th row north of an upturned stump (numbering from the stump) manured about 10 yards of that & of the 6th, & 8th with Plaster, in hill, and about 2 yards of the 10th row with Ripley Marl The manuring in the Spencer field is on cotton.
All the cotton seed we have hauled out yet have been
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rubbod in leached ashes and dirt
The mare, Mary Jane, was treated today for blind staggers by bleeding on the neck and nose & by pouring cold water on the head She died the 13th
Graded a portion of the small Gin field recently & cut a few ditches about the negro houses giving about 4 inches fall to 30 feet
Sot out some Cabbage to day & some a week ago to day English Peas have been in bloom nearly a week A few of the sweet potatoes are coming up In the hot bed
Thomas C. Leak arrived, on a visit, tuesday night the 6th instant
April 13th. 1852. Thermometer 54° at sunrise. Prescott commenced planting cotton at my Crawford place yesterday evening with three openers & coverers. Weather warn to day and well suited to planting
Finished the Lewis field, Hucaby field, 12 acre Barn field, & planted about 3 acres in 20 acre Barn field in all about 80 acres to day. Plastered six rows in the Lewis field for about 15 yards.
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April 14th. 1852. Thermometer 59 degrees at sunrise, slight rain in the evening. Finished planting the Barn field, Gilliam field & about 13 acres of the Ponds field - in all about 65 acres Rain last night
April 15th. 1852. Cool morning. Thermometer at 42° Finished Ponds field & Bluff field, except about 2 acres - in all about 75 acres
April 16th. 1852. Thermometer at 53° at sunrise Thos. C. Leak & myself set out for Memphis this morning. I returned Tuesday evening the 20th. Planted on the 16 the balance of the Bluff field, The North Gum field & the Bars field - in all about 60 acres
April 17th. 1852. Mrs. Stricklin returned to Ripley this morning Planted the South Gum field, the Arnold Field & about 10 acres in the negro field - in all about 54 acres Planted Butter Beans, Snaps, Mustard & Celery
April 18th. 1852. Turkey hen in the bottom hatched to day, she had been setting 4 weeks & a day
April 19th. 1852. Finished planting Negro field. Also planted the negro
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house field & all of Stricklin & Gin field to about 6 acres in all about 70 acres About 10 acres of the Stricklin & 6 acre Gin field were planted in seed rolled in Plaster of Paris. Some select seed were planted in 6 acre Gin field
April 20th. 1852. Planted balance of Stricklin 26 acre field & about 20 or 25 acres of Thomas field. The Thomas field is planted in hills about 15 inches apart with Prolific seed procured from Rich'd H. Malone
April 21st. 1852. Thermometer at about 41° a little after sunrise Finished planting cotton to day. About 30 acres of the Thomas field were planted with the Prolific seed Mule died of Blind staggers (supposed) to day
April 22nd. 1852. We have been engaged for a few days with a portion of our plows & hands, in preparing the Large Pond for corn Some of the hands are thinning corn, & some are plowing corn
April 23rd. 1852. Finished preparing the Pond land to day, & commenced planting corn in it. Finished plowing the Dick Northcross field of corn this evening & made a beginning in the Kenedy field. We are
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plowing around the corn with bull tongue plows & bursting out the middles with small shovels - 4 furrows to the row. The corn is planted 3 1/2 X 3 1/2 feet
April 24th. 1852. Planted Water Melons to day about 100 hills & about six seeds to the hill Finished planting corn in the Pond
April 26th. 1852. Ran 20 plows in the Kenedy field of corn today & finished it, baring plowed 400 rows running East & West, equal to about 40 acres. There are 535 rows in the field equal to about 51 acres Two turning plows are running in the Corn field north of the Gin The hoe hands thinned and hoed the Dick Northcross field of corn to day Windy & warm but cool in the evening Our goods arrived on Friday & Sunday Another mule died of Blind staggers this morning, being the second mule that has died of that disease within a few days. A mare died of the same disease recently Planted some more water melons to day; also some Musk melons
April 27th. 1852. Finished planting Water & Musk melons to day, having planted