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be in order to receive manure. The spot, which I would principally 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

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greater part, if not all, of their labor. But if there should, notwithstanding, be time for other things, I know of nothing in which they could be more advantageously employed, than in getting up rich mud from the branches in field No. 8, to spread over the poor and washed parts of that field, before it is sown in wheat next August.

Mansion-House Farm.

The ditchers, after the post-and-rail fence, which they are now about, to the Tumbling Dam is completed, and a strong one put up across the Mill Run, as will be marked off, may continue on to the Mill by the line of stakes, which will be set up; but they are not to use for this purpose those posts, which were got by Marley's house, as they will be more convenient for the lane, which is to form the new road from the Ferry by the Mill, as authorized by the court. After this work is performed, it will be time enough to point out

more.

To say what the other part of the force at this place shall be employed about, is next to impossible, since there is such a variety of jobs for them to attend to, besides fishing, hay-making, and the grain harvest in their respective seasons, which must unavoidably employ them while they last.

But, as it is designed to raise tobacco, and to tend in corn that part, at least, of the new ground in front of the house, which was cleared last year, in order that it may be laid down in the fall in wheat and orchard grass, they must prepare for them accordingly, and, under the circumstances above mentioned, attempt as much of the first, that is, tobacco, as there is a moral certainty of their tending well. The men may be employed in getting posts and rails of a good kind for the purpose of enclosing this tobacco. But it is essential, if any labor is expected from the girls and boys, who are about this house, to keep some person with them, who will not only make them work, but who will see that the work is well executed, and that the idleness, which they appear every day in the practice of, may be avoided.

FIRST STATEMENT OF THE CROPS IN 1789.

347

Corn; 375 acres.

Har

Acres. Acres. rowed.

375

1 ploughing in the fall of 1788
Listing the field in March, about of the above work, 94
Opening the furrows in April, of the last work,
Breaking up the balks in May, of the whole,
Ploughing do. in June, do.

Do.

do.

Three times harrowed,

31

281

do. do. in July, do.

281

281

1343

do.

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Rye; 375 acres. Once ploughed for seeding in September,

Once harrowed

Buckwheat; 375 acres. One ploughing after Rye comes off,
One do. in April,

Three harrowings, 1 before, and 2 after sowing,
Wheat; 375 acres. Ploughing in buckwheat in June,

Sundries; 375 acres.

do. seeding ground with wheat in Aug. 375

750

375

375

One harrowing after sowing,
One ploughing in the fall of 1788,
75 do. in Pease ploughed into 3 ft. ridges in Apr. 75
Checkered, about 4 of above work in April, 19
234 do. in Buckwheat for a crop, ploughed in Apr. 234
do. 1st July, 234
Three times harrowed 1st of July,

8 do. Scarcity ploughed in March,

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Between the 1st of October and Christmas, Corn amounts to

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In January and February, Barley, first ploughing,
February and May,
March, listing for Corn as above,

Ploughing first time for Root of Scarcity,

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348

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Buckwheat for manure,

Do. for seed,

Pumpkins, second ploughing, 8; Root of Scarcity, 8, 16

375 520 1125

234

May,

Breaking balks between Corn,

June, ploughing Corn second time,

do.

Buckwheat for manure,

July, Buckwheat for seed,

Third ploughing of Corn,

Third do.

Root of Scarcity, 8; Pumpkins, 8, 16 531

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Results of the First Statement.

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281

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DR.

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For 375 bushels Rye for seed at 3s.

5650

By 5625 bushels Corn, at 3s. 843
5625 do. Rye, 3s.

0 0

843

00

375 bushels Buckwheat, for seed at 2s.

37 10 0

5625 do. Potatoes, 1s. 281
4500 do. Barley, 3s. 6d. 787

50

00

375 do. Wheat, do. 5s.

750 do. Barley do. 3s. 6d. Sundries, viz.

93 15 0 131

3750 do. Wheat, 5s.

937 10 0

50

Sundries, viz.

75 bush. Pease for seed, at 4s.

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234 do. Buckwheat, 2s.

23 80

30 do. Flax, 3s. 6d.

3750 lbs. Clover seed, 8d. 3120 bushels of Corn for

550

125 0 0

1404 bushels Buckwheat,

375 do. Pease, 4s.

100 do. Flax seed, 3s. 6d. 17 10 0
Dressed Flax

Buckwheat, 375 acres

for manure.

140 8 0

75 00

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3924 13 0

412 10 0

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100 do. Salt, 2s. 6d.

12 10 0

330 gallons Rum, 2s.

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750 bushels of Potatoes, for seed, ls.

37 10 0 £1450 18 0

100 thousand Tobacco
hills, 20 hhds. £7.10s. 150

£4449 13 0

SECOND STATEMENT OF CROPS IN 1789.

Corn; 375 acres. Same in all respects as No. 1,
Buckwheat; 375 acres. First ploughing in April,
Second do. last of June,

Wheat; 375 acres. One ploughing after the Buckwheat

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May, first ploughing of Buckwheat among the sundries, Pumpkins, second ploughing, 8 acres; Scarcity, 8 do. ploughing balks between Corn, first time,

234

16

281

531 281

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