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-6about 500 hills Tho 20 plows in the Bostwick field lacked about 12 acres of finishing it, having plowed about 41 acres The hoe hands thinned & hoed about 48 acres of the Kenedy field
Cool & dry. Thermometer at 46 degrees about sunrise I wish this year to make the experiment of plowing in a few oats about the time they ripen (for the proper time I must consult the Soil of the South") Sowing upon them at the same time, to be turned in with them, some peas, a peck or half bushel to the acre, & then about frost turning under the peas likewise, with the object of improving the land
April 28th. 1852. Went up to the Crawford place to day Prescott will finish plowing his corn tomorrow, on the first round, & will complete the hoeing likewise Finished plowing the Bostwick field to day, & plowed about 25 acres in the 58 acre Gin field; running 5 furrows to the row, & sometimes 6, in the latter field The hoe hands laoked about 6 acres of finishing the Bostwick field, having gone over about 50 acres to day. Light frost this morning biting the Corn in low places. Thermometer at 42 degrees.
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April 29th. 1852. Received a few days ago a letter from Mr Laughlin informing me that he had gone to Philadelphia & accepted a situation in the Post Office Also received to day one from J. P. Leak asking information respecting some land lines between himself & Jonathan Hailey & one from W. L. Steele acknowledging the reception of a check for $1670.00 Bob is shearing the sheep to day. Plowed the balance of the 58 acre Gin field, now 68 acres, & a few acres in the field north of the Gin, with 20 plows, making the days work about 45 acres. Four other plows have been running for a few days in the latter field, throwing up ridges, 4 furrows to the row, for peas. The hoe hands finished the balance of the Bostwiok field & passed over about 50 acres in the 68 acre field, having hoed about 56 acres Quite dry and tolerably warm and windy. Scarcely any cotton up yet. The girls came home on a visit to day accompanied by Laura Baird
April 30th. 1852. Finished plowing the North Gin field to day, which completes the first round of the corn crop The hoes also completed their first round Warm to day, cloudy & Dry
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Wrote to Jas P. Leak yesterday & mailed the letter to day Received a letter from Dr Loving written on the 19th instant Replied to it. The negroes finished their week's task to day, having gained nearly a day & a half Finished shearing the sheep to day, having sheared 27 old ones. Marked 18 Lambs Wrote to H. T. Thomas a few days ago in reply to one from him Also to Garland Snead, enclosing it in the one to Thomas
May 3rd. 1852. Corn coming up in the Pond. Water Melon seed coming up. Planted peas to day in the North Gin field Finished the field. Three openers and three coverers ran over the field Commenced plowing the Corn the second time, running round it. 11 horses passed over the R N x field, & 4 over about 16 acres of the Kenedy field Still very dry - warm. In some of the fresh land a stand of cotton is up But there is no prospect yet for a good stand on the old land
May 4th. 1852. Heavy rain last night and a heavier one to day. Fences washed down at various points Set out Potato sprouts. Ground entirely too wet for plowing. Quite uneasy about a stand of Cotton. Mr Robinson
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reports that we shall have to plant over about half our Crop 21 rows potato slips Set out Tomatoes, Cabbage & Okra
May 5th. 1852. The rain yesterday unusually heavy - It did great damage to the plantation Resumed the plowing of the Corn in the Kenedy field after dinner with 14 plows. Lack about 8 acres finishing it. We are running round it. The rows are about 3 1/2 feet apart. It was too wet to plow in the forenoon
May 6th. 1852. 22 plows running round the Corn to day. 2 plows in the Kenedy field lacked a few rows of finishing it & 14 in the Bostwick field, lacked about 1/2 acre of finishing it. 6 in the 58 acre Gin field passed over about 25 acres The ground is still rather wet for plowing. The stand of Cotton is likely to be rather a bad one. The Spencer field we shall probably have to plow up, & much of several other fields will require replanting The hoe hands are employed, some of them, hoeing & replanting Corn, & others in following the plows & uncovering the corn
May 7th. 1852. Csmmenced, scraping to day with 13 scrapers & went over the Lewis field & about 5 acres ef the Huckaby. 9 Plows still
-10running around the Corn, which lacked about 8 acres af finishing the 58, now 68, acre Gin field
May 8th. 1852. Rubbing Cotton seed to day preparatory to plowing up & planting over the Spencer field on Monday.
Corn plows finished 68 acre field in the forenoon & went into Spencer field to throwing two furrows on old cotton beds for planting anew on Monday The scrapers finished Huckaby field and stopped for the day
Sowed about 1/2 gallon peas in the growing oats to day by way of experiment
Received a latter from Thos C. Leak, dated Paris Landing 30 April, on his way home
Wrote to E. M. 5th or 6th
May 10th. 1852. Mess English Peas. Planted over the Spencer field by throwing two furrows on the old ridge. 5 openers & coverers planted it. Light shower about 2 oclook Burke mare taken with Staggers
Only one scraper running to day
I am rather inclined to think that our stand of Cotton, of the earlier planting, would have been better if our seed