From George Washington to William Pearce, 5 April 1795
To William Pearce
Philadelphia 5th April 1795
Mr Pearce,
I perceive by your last report—enclosed in your letter of the 29th ulto1—that Carter Ben, at River farm, has been laid up many weeks; with a person to attend him, the whole time. What is the nature of his complaint?2 When these extraordinary cases happen, let the report respecting them, say what the cause is; without which, and at this distance from the scene, it is not easy for me to conjecture even what the matter is.
Whether would it be best to let the lot at Mansion house (intended for Lucern) remain a naked fallow stirring the ground now and then until Seeding time, or plant it early with Potatoes (which may be taken off by, or early in august)? The last, well manured, would be productive; and well cultivated, would prepare the ground for the Lucern which is to follow. I leave it to you to do the one, or the other, as from circumstances shall appear best. If the Potatoe plan is preferred, let part (and not the best part, but every other row for instance) be planted with the shoots, as directed in the Pamphlet I gave you the reading of last year; and which I believe was, tho’ not effectually, by the Gardener, tried last year.3 I have promised to make the experiment accurately, and wish you to attend to it accordingly; either on the ground just mentd or some other.
I am sorry for the impediments you have met with from the weather, in sowing your Oats; but over this there is no controul; and nothing for us remains but submission; I have only to repeat on this head, that I had rather encounter delay, than not sow when the ground is in prime order for it.
As all danger from frost must now be over, your winter grain will have assumed its spring appearance (since vegitation is advancing rapidly, also)—and what is the appearance of your different fields? Do not neglect the Roller, if you can apply it to any advantage; and this I am sure it will, not only to the grain (the roots of which have been thrown out of the ground) but to grass also; especially clover, if you are in condition to use it.
You know how much a friend I am, to cutting small grain before it is suffered to get too ripe. The enclosed advertisement carries the matter farther than I shd incline to risque a quantity; but the ascertainment of so important a fact is well worth risking an acre or two, and it is my wish that it should be done;4 at the same time that I would have the whole harvest begun at an earlier period than is usual, with most farmers.
I hope the Honey locust seed are in the ground; that they may vegitate and get above ground before the weather may become hot and dry.
I had no other objection to the advertising of Paul than that of having my name appear therein; at least in any papers North of Virginia:5 and that he has not gone South of it, is natural to infer, if he was governed by motives of policy, or by advice.
I still expect to be with you about the time mentioned in my last,6 and therefore shall only add that I am—Your friend &ca
Go: Washington
ALS, ViMtvL; ALS (letterpress copy), DLC:GW.
1. The letter and report have not been found.
2. Carter Ben (born c.1777), one of GW’s slaves, was the son of Peg, who also worked at River farm. Ben’s name, as listed on GW’s 1799 slave list, indicates that he may have worked as a carter, or cart driver.
3. GW probably was referring to Letters to the Right Honourable … Dublin Society, on the Culture of the Potatoes from the Shoots (Dublin, 1794), which William Maunsell had enclosed with his letter to GW of 19 March 1794. For GW’s reply to Maunsell, see n.4 to that document.
4. GW enclosed a clipping taken from the Daily Advertiser (New York) of 27 March (ViMtvL): “a farmer in Maryland began to reap his wheat on the 16th of June last, (a week sooner than his neighbors) before it was quite ripe:—some of the straw was green, and the grain quite soft. This early wheat was compared with what stood in his field till the 18th of July, and proved to be 4lb. 6oz. heavier a bushel than what stood till July. The country alarmed at this boldness, imagined, and even reported, that he lost his barn and the wheat by the moisture occasioning it to take fire; whilst others said it was rotton in the shocks. In fact his wheat was finely cured; and secured without loss, after it had stood some time out in shocks.”
5. Pearce placed an advertisement in the 12 and 17 March editions of The Columbian Mirror and Alexandria Gazette offering “Ten Dollars Reward” for the capture of “a Negro Man, called PAUL,” who “RAN AWAY from one of the President’s farms … on the 14th of February last.” For GW’s comments and Pearce’s notations about Paul’s absence, see GW to Pearce, 8 March, and n.2 to that letter, and 22 March.
6. In his letter to Pearce of 29 March, GW stated that he hoped to reach Mount Vernon by 20 April. He arrived one day earlier (see 6:200).