1Memorandum for James Anderson and William Pearce, 5 November 1796 (Washington Papers)
Before you quit the Concern, have an exact Inventory taken of all the Horses, Asses, Mules, Cattle Sheep and Hogs (if the latter can be ascertained)—together with the Carts, Plows, Harrows, Axes, Hoes Mattocks &
2From 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...
3From 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...
4From George Washington to William Pearce, 9 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
...husbandry, so strongly recommended on a clover lay & may succeed with other grasses, would be entirely defeated: good plowing therefore is essential; and I would have you sow, as fast as you plow; to be well harrowed, but not so as to bring the grass up again; for it is the manure, occasioned by the fermentation & rotting of it, that is to benefit the land, & to produce the Wheat.
5From George Washington to William Pearce, 23 August 1795 (Washington Papers)
...the Barn, the quantity of ground in wheat, at that farm, will be pretty well. But I wish your sowing had kept pace with the plowing where one plowing only is intended, and the Wheat is to be harrowed in. Let this be the case with the clover lot; and that it may have fair play, let the clover be
6From 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.
7From 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.
8From 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.
9From 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
10From 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.