Richmond Enquirer

FOR THE ENQUIRER.

I am indebted to a friend, for the perusal of a piece, in the National Intelligencer, of the tenth of January last, signed a Frederick county farmer, in reply to some remarks of mine, published not long since, in the Enquirer. I there attempted to convince my brother farmers, that grazing wheat, was no security against the ravages of the Hessian fly. Nothing, that this Farmer has written, convicts me of error, although I am willing to admit my incompetency, to give the subject that deliberation, of which all its bearings may be susceptible. He certainly has not replied to the objections, there exhibited, against grazing. It was stated as my belief, that the maggot was inaccessible to a tooth, before the wheat could be grazed without destruction ; that while the stock were feeding, the fly might be also depositing its egg after them with all the injury to the wheat, that it could have sustained, if it had never been grazed; and that any cause, tending to make the wheat later (and grazing produces that effect) might subject it to a spring attack of the fly, with all the other evils incident to a late crop. In answer to which not one word has been said by this writer.

For his own refutation, he has selected one paragraph, on which, he is pleased to think, I very much rely. In that paragraph the fact was stated, that a field of wheat, which had been previously fed down, was totally destroyed by the fly. In reply we are told, that the destruction was owing to the owner's not extending the same benefit to all his fields. The Rappahannock farmer, no doubt rejoices that he could not. Fortunately for that gentleman, he can never follow the advice of the Maryland farmer, as he seeds from fifteen to eighteen hundred bushels of wheat annually: which, I suppose, would require more stock to graze, than he could conveniently collect in his neighborhood.

In this opinion however, I may be mistaken, since this Farmer has not been so kind, as to inform the farming community, when they should commence the operation of feeding. nor how long it would probably take the stock, to finish catching all the maggots in so large a field; presuming that to be a part of their duty, as well for their master's sake, as from gratitude to the poor wheat, for the loss of all its blades. If the stock should not be able to accomplish this microscopic task, then let me warn all owners of wheat fields, by no means to turn stock in, particularly, if a little corn should be standing, lest they have fat meat and no bread.

The Frederick county farmer has great confidence, in the local and relative situation of fields, intended for wheat. Once believing this opinion to be reasonable, I commenced last fall to seed wheat, at least three quarters of a mile, from my stubble field. But all would not do, the maggots are as numerous in that, as in any wheat on, my plantation. Let me ask the gentleman, whether locality or relative situation may not sometimes make against his grazing system?

I cannot help thinking, that as grazing is so nice an operation, it would be imprudent in any farmer to try it, until all his neighbors consent, to unite in the experiment, or at least, until it is better ascertained, how many miles, yards, feet and inches instinct may direct the flight of the fly, in search of wheat, in the proper state for their operations.

One of the minutest observers of the wheat fly in our country, who is a practical farmer, and knows the impossibility of eating down several hundred acres of wheat, in time to cut off the retreat of the maggot, recommends the experiment, on a feasible scale. This Farmer is clear for sweeping the platter. grazing all or none. When Doctors differ so widely in their prescriptions, I hope it will be excused, if I follow the advice of neither, but, with the leave of my brother farmer of Maryland, adhere to my former opinion, that grazing ought not to be tolerated under any circumstances!

A KING WILLIAM FARMER.