further to do with the new ground at the Mansion House; and when not employed, in open weather, with their fencing, to be threshing out grain. But there is a work of great importance, if the weather and other circumstances would concur for the execution of it in season. I mean, that of getting up rich mud from the most convenient parts of the creek, and laying it in small heaps, for amelioration, to be carried over the poor parts of No. 5, which will be in corn. If this last-mentioned work can be accomplished, (and it must be done soon, if any effect is expected from it this year, in order that the frost may have time to operate,) the cart may be employed in hauling it to the ground.

Another piece of work to be done here, as I propose to make a small quantity of tobacco at this, as well as at my other plantations, is, to hill the ground that is marked off for it, in time. But, previous to hilling, it must be laid off with the plough into three-feet squares, that the hills may be made directly on the cross; so that, in the early stages of the growth of the tobacco, it may be tended with a plough each way.

If these several kinds of work should not afford sufficient employment for the hoe people, with the cultivation of the ground, which will be marked out for potatoes and carrots, and which ought to be ploughed up immediately, they may be preparing field No. 6, on the creek, for corn in 1790. In the execution of this work, the cedar trees are not to be cut down, but trimmed only; and other trees left here and there for shades. The brush and rubbish, of all sorts, are to be thrown into the gullies and covered over, so as to admit the ploughs to pass.

Both parts of field No. 1 should from this time be withheld from stock of all kinds, that there may be, in the spring, early food for the ewes, lambs, and calves. Field No. 3, now in wheat and rye, must be sown with clover and timothy on the first snow that falls, six pints of the first, and two of the latter per acre.

Dogue-Run Farm.

The ploughs belonging to this plantation, when they have performed what has already been directed for them at Muddy Hole, together with those of the latter, are to begin, if the ground will admit of it, to break up No. 6 for buckwheat, to be sown in April. But if this, on account of the levelness of the field and the water which may stand on it, cannot be done, then plough No. 4 for the crop of sundries. But, as it is of essential importance, that the oats and barley should be sown early, and the working of the CC*

fields for Indian corn not so much delayed as to endanger the prospect for that crop, the ploughings of both No. 6 and No. 4 must be delayed, at least till the oats and barley are in, if they cannot be broken up in season for the above purposes. The oats ought to be sown in February, next the post-and-rail fence; and the barley as soon after as possible, on the other side, adjoining With both, clover and timothy, in the proportions al

ready mentioned, are to be sown.

After the above work is accomplished, it will be time to crossplough and sow such parts of No. 4 as are intended for carrots, and this is to be done in drills four feet asunder; and, if the ground is dry enough, in the month of March, and for flax, which should be sown in April.

By the time these are done, possibly before it, the fields for corn will want listing. This corn, in the south part of the field, next to the woods, may be planted at five feet each way, with two stalks in a hill, and in the north part, next to Colonel Mason's, at four feet each way, with one stalk in a hill. The ploughings and harrowings necessary for which, without going into detail with respect to the manner and times, must be given when wanted.

The sowing of buckwheat in April for manure seems to be the next thing which calls for the ploughs; because it ought to be in the ground as soon as all danger of frost is over, that it may be in the proper state (full bloom) for ploughing in before harvest. After buckwheat, pease will come next, and the ground for these, as for the tobacco, must be laid off in squares for hilling, that they may, before they begin to run and spread, be ploughed each way. They ought to be planted in May.

Pumpkins, potatoes, turnips, and buckwheat for a crop, in the order they are mentioned, will next claim the assistance of the ploughs. The first should be planted in May, in hills eight feet apart, and well manured. The second in June, in drills four feet apart, and a foot asunder in the rows, with a large handful of manure on each potato, which should be uncut and of the largest sort. The third, that is, turnips, to be sown partly in June, and partly in July. And the fourth, buckwheat, as near as may be to the 10th of July.

This field of sundries may be thus apportioned; carrots, five acres; potatoes, five; pumpkins, one; turnips, one; pease, fifteen ; flax, three; tobacco, five; buckwheat, thirty-five; being seventy acres in all.

That it may be ascertained, by repeated experiments, whether

carrots or potatoes are the most productive and valuable root, I would have the ten acres allotted for them in one square, and the rows for each alternate through the whole square, and each to have the same quantity of manure allowed to it.

The work, which has been mentioned for the ploughs, together with the ploughing in of the buckwheat before harvest, the wheat after harvest, with the workings of the several species of crops during their growth, is all the employment that can be recollected at present for this part of the force of the plantation, until the autumn ploughing for the next year's crop commences. But, as these, till the system is brought more into practice, and the preceding crop is a better preparation of the ground for the succeeding one than is the case at present, will require much exertion and an addition of ploughs; one may be added to the number at Dogue Run, which will make five there; and another at Muddy Hole, which will make four there.

Much fencing is necessary at this plantation, before it can be said to be advantageously laid off, and in good order. That, which requires to be first done, is the one which divides field No. 4 from the meadow; but, as the rails, which are about the stacks, will be most convenient for this work, it may be delayed until they can be spared. In the mean time, no heavy stock must run in that field, to trample and poach the meadow.

The next, that requires doing, is the line from the head of the meadow to the new road, which is to be laid off, thence with the road to the Tumbling Dam, and thence round field No. 7, agreeably to the ploughing, and the rails which have been laid there.

Next after these, the cross fence between field No. 5 and the wood should be done, and then the fence, which was begun last year, but not finished, between fields No. 2 and No. 3. The fence which divides the first of these, that is, No. 2, from the great meadow, requires doing also. All these are essential; as it also is, to strengthen the post-and-rail fence, which divides No. 1 from No. 2 and No. 3; but, as this never can be made a good one, until the whole is taken down, and both posts and rails shortened, it must be postponed till there is time to do this; righting it up in such a manner, as to make it answer for the present, being all that can be attempted this year.

Lastly, when time will admit, after the posting and railing from the Tumbling Dam to the Mill is completed, the rails, which at present run upon that line, may serve to separate the great meadow into three divisions, as will be marked out.

Every thing, that the hoe people can do in the course of the winter towards getting the old crop off hand, and preparing for the new one, ought to be the first object of consideration, and must be closely attended to. Carrying out manure, when the cart can be spared and the ground is in order for its reception, either for carrots, potatoes, tobacco, or other things, is not to be neglected. Grubbing and filling up gullies, in the fields which are to receive crops this year, is also essential. And, if these should not afford sufficient employment, the overplus time may be spent in clearing swamps, or the sides of them, so that they may hereafter, when drained effectually, be tended in tobacco previous to their being laid down in grass.

At this place, I propose to plant about thirty thousand tobacco plants, in field No. 4, round the houses and stacks, where they will be most convenient to the manure; and, where the ground is not very rich, I would join a gallon or a large double handful of manure to each hill. The ground for the crop ought to be broken up early, either with the ploughs or hoes, that the green sward may have time to rot. If thirty thousand hills cannot be got here, the deficiency may be made up by the gate that goes into field No. 5.

River Farm.

Early and good ploughing at this place is indispensably necessary. The field No. 7, intended for spring grain, that is, barley and oats, would, if justice were done to it, call for a second or cross ploughing by the time the ploughs will begin to break it up. Consequently, field No. 1, designed for corn, will hardly get more than a listing, and the field No. 4, which ought to have received a crop of sundries, must go altogether uncultivated this year.

After field No. 7 is sown with barley, oats, and grass-seed, the latter in the proportion mentioned at the other places, if the preparation of No. 1 for corn cannot be postponed, without involving injurious consequences to that crop, the ploughs must go there next, and do all that is necessary for getting it planted in time, and in good order.

But, as I do not mean to plant potatoes or carrots among corn this year, as was the case last year, inclining to allot separate spots for this purpose, these spots, and that which is intended for tobacco, ought to be immediately ploughed; that the weeds and grass, where there are any, may have time to rot, and the ground

The spot, which I would princi

be in order to receive manure. pally appropriate for carrots and potatoes, is that whereon the flax grew last year, but if more can be conveniently obtained elsewhere, it ought to be had, as that spot is insufficient. The ground for tobacco (forty thousand plants) I mean to lay off in a long square, from the farm-pen up to field No. 2, which, when ploughed and checkered, will be ready to receive manure at times when the carts can with convenience carry it out.

All the ploughings, which are here enumerated, being accomplished, the season probably will have arrived when No. 8 will require to be cross-ploughed, and sowed with buckwheat for manure, in April. This is, in all respects, to be managed as has been directed for Dogue Run, and after harvest is to receive wheat, in August, as there mentioned.

These, with the necessary workings of the several species of crops, which must not be neglected, will, it is presumed, give sufficient employment for the ploughs. If not, there can be no difficulty in finding work for them.

Much fencing is wanting on this plantation, before it can be in the order I wish to see it; but, among the most essential of these, is the fence which is to enclose field No. 1 for corn; that which runs from the second gate, going into the plantation, to the creek, dividing my land from Colonel Mason's; and that which is to form the lane, which is to lead from the barn into the lane which now goes to Johnson's, and which must continue the other way, so as to open a communication with the fields No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4. As timber is very scarce on this tract, it must in fencing, as well as in other things, be made to go as far as possible; consequently, posts and rails, of a good and substantial kind, must be substituted instead of the usual kind of worm fences.

To point out all the work for the hoe people of this plantation is unnecessary. To finish the old, and to prepare for the new crop; to put up fences; to heap up the manure early, that it may get well and soon rotted; to carry it out, and to lay it in the furrows intended for carrots and potatoes, and on the ground intended for tobacco; making hills for the tobacco; grubbing and filling gullies in the fields, which are to receive crops this year, with old rails, old stumps, old trees, and such other rubbish as can be had conveniently; levelling the bank, on which a fence formerly ran through field No. 8; will, with the cultivation of the crops that will be planted and sown, and gathering them in, compose the