1From George Washington to William Pearce, 19 January 1794 (Washington Papers)
You may keep Isaac and the boy Joe, constantly employed about the Carts, Plows, Harrows
&ca until they are in order.
2From George Washington to William Pearce, 9 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
...which grew in the Inclosure opposite to it, but whether it was done or not I am unable to say; if it was not I will send you two or three pounds to sprinkle over the ground. Running a harrow over the lot backwards & forwards, & every way in short, will do no injury to the Lucern as it has a long tap root, but may tare weeds & grass up, and prepare it better for fresh...
3From George Washington to William Pearce, 23 March 1794 (Washington Papers)
I send you 3 lbs. of Lucern Seed to sprinkle over the spring lot, where the former
grew. The ground ought to be well torn with a sharp toothed harrow, in order to prepare
it for the Seed, otherwise much of it will miss.
4From George Washington to William Pearce, 6 April 1794 (Washington Papers)
...when they are worked; and unbroke steers must be fed, as well as Oxen (though not
in the same manner) at other times. By this means there never would be a want of draught
Cattle for Cart, Harrow or Roller.
5From George Washington to William Pearce, 13 July 1794 (Washington Papers)
...need of the Scythes; and I hope all the Hay that can, will be made, and all spots (in the new meadows) not sufficiently covered—will be replenished abundantly with good seed, & scratched in with Harrows, or rakes with Iron teeth. It is much my wish to have the meadows well set with grass; and the sprouts from stumps, weeds and all other trash exterminated. These things cannot, I am sensible,...
6From George Washington to William Pearce, 23 November 1794 (Washington Papers)
...you should get any one in the place of Donaldson as an overlooker of the Carpenters, let him, Isaac & the boy Jem, be kept to the making & repairing of Carts of different sorts, Wheels, Plows, Harrows Rakes Wheelbarrows, and all kinds of farming impliments; and tell him, as from me, that I hope, & expect, that he will take pains to instruct both Isaac and the Boy in the
7From George Washington to William Pearce, 25 January 1795 (Washington Papers)
of the several kinds of work they are employed in; particular in Carts, wheels, Plows, Harrows, wheel barrows, and such kinds of impliments as are used about a farm, or dwelling house.
8From George Washington to William Pearce, 15 February 1795 (Washington Papers)
, & thickly taken with Lucern, & entirely free from grass and weeds I wish you would put a heavy harrow with sharp teeth thereon, and tare the ground in a manner to pieces—without regarding how much the lucern plants are torn & maimed. In a word, make the top of the ground fine, & perfectly free from... ...overdone with grass or weeds, I would prefer plowing it up first, and then harrowing it...
9From George Washington to William Pearce, 1 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
I agree also, and indeed strongly recommend, your breaking up the Lucern lot by the Spring; and wish that it may be extremely well plowed, harrowed and prepar’d for Lucern & clover seed mixed; the former of which (if any fresh & good can be had) I will send from hence.
10From George Washington to William Pearce, 29 March 1795 (Washington Papers)
...great expectation from it (knowing, as I do, the goodness of the soil)—If you have Seed, let the parts which have been covered, and all others that are too thin, be resown, and a light harrow, or roller, run over, to bury the seed. If the water (in freshes) has not sufficient vent at the bridge, would it not be proper to widen the passage at that place? It is a pity...