Rotations of Crops for Dogue Run, 1793
Rotations of Crops for Dogue Run
[1793]
Rotation of Crops for Dogue Run | |||||||
No. of the Fields |
Rotation No. 1 | ||||||
1793 | 1794 | 1795 | 1796 | 1797 | 1798 | 1799 | |
3 | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
4 | Clover or Grass |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
5 | Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover or Grass |
6 | Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Corn or Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat |
7 | Wheat | Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Corn or Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
1 | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat |
2 | Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Clover or Grass |
Corn & Potatoes |
Number of Plowings—the times at which they must be given—and the days it will take | ||||||||||||||
acres | Fall | Wintr | Mar. | Aprl | May | June | July | Augt | Sep. | Total | ||||
No. 3 | 75 | Corn & Pots. | Breaking up | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
layg off, & listing | 60 | 60 | ||||||||||||
crossing for Plantg | 10 | 10 | ||||||||||||
Plowing Balks | 70 | 70 | ||||||||||||
Crossing them | 70 | 70 | ||||||||||||
Re-crossing | 70 | 70 | ||||||||||||
Sowing Wheat | 75 | 75 | ||||||||||||
4 | ![]() |
225 | Clover or Grass | |||||||||||
5 | ||||||||||||||
6 | ||||||||||||||
1 | 75 | B. Wheat for Man[ur]e | Breaking up | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
Crossing for Sowg | 100 | 100 | ||||||||||||
Plowing in | 100 | 100 | ||||||||||||
2 | 75 | Wheat | Corn grd | |||||||||||
7 | 75 | Ditto | on B: Wheat | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
525 | 200 | 60 | 110 | 70 | 170 | 70 | 175 | 855 |
Probable Yield. | |||||||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn | a 12½ | bushls | 937½ | bushls | a 2/6 | £117.3.9 | |
& Potatoes | 12½ | 937½ | 1/ | 46.17.6 | |||||
2 | ![]() |
||||||||
7 | 150 | Wheat | 10 | 1500 | 5/ | 375 | |||
1 | 75 | B. Wht for Mane | |||||||
4 | ![]() |
||||||||
5 | 255 | Clover or Grass | |||||||
6 | |||||||||
525 | 3375 | £539.1.3 |
Remarks
The above Rotation favors the land very much; inasmuch as there are but three Corn Crops taken in Seven years from any field, & the first Wheat Crop is followed by a Buck Wheat manure for the second Wheat Crop, wch is to succeed it; & which by being laid to Clover or Grass & continued therein three years will aford much Mowing or Graising, according as the Seasons happen to be, besides being a restorative to the Soil. But then, the produce of the Saleable Crops is small, unless encreased by the improving State of the fields. Nor will the Grain for the use of the Farm be adequate to the consumpti<on> of it in this Course, and this is an essential object to attend to--& quere--whether the Clover does not remain too long.
Rotation No. 2 Same place. | |||||||
No. of the Fields |
1793 | 1794 | 1795 | 1796 | 1797 | 1798 | 1799 |
3 | Corn & Potatoes |
B: Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover |
4 | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
B: Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat |
5 | Pasture | Pasture | Corn & Potatoes |
B: Wheat | B: Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover |
6 | Pasture | Wheat | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
B: Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat |
7 | Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
B. Wheat | B: Wheat for Manure |
1 | B: Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
B. Wheat |
2 | Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
Plowings &ca &ca for the above Crops | |||||||||||||||
Acrs. | Fall | Wintr | Mar. | Aprl | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Total | |||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn & Potatoes | same as N. 1 | 100 | 60 | 10 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 75 | 455 | ||||
4 | } | 150 | Clover | ||||||||||||
6 | } | ||||||||||||||
1 | 75 | B: Wheat Crop | breaking up | 100 | 100 | ||||||||||
2d Plowing | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
2 | 75 | Wheat Corn grd | |||||||||||||
7 | 75 | Ditto on B: W. | breaking up | 100 | 100 | ||||||||||
crossg & Sowing | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
Plowing in B: W. | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
Sowing Wheat | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
Buck Wht for M. | |||||||||||||||
75 | as above. | ||||||||||||||
525 | 200 | 160 | 110 | 70 | 270 | 70 | 175 | 1055 |
Probable Yield | |||||||||
Bushls | |||||||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn | 12½ bushls | 937½ | a 2/6 | £117.3.9 | |||
& Potatoes | 12½ Do | 937½ | 1/ | 40.17.6 | |||||
4 | ![]() |
225 | Clover & Grass | ||||||
5 | |||||||||
6 | |||||||||
2 | ![]() |
150 | Wheat | 10 | 1500 | 5/ | 375 | ||
7 | |||||||||
75 | suppd in B. Wheat | 12 | 900 | 1/8 | 75 | ||||
525 | 4,275 | £614.1.3 |
Remarks.
By the above Rotation, 900 bushls of B. Wheat, amounting to £75, is added to the proceeds of No. 1 at the expence of 200 days more plowing--And no two Corn Crops follow in immediate succession. Wheat, in one instance, follows a Clover lay on a single Plowing; the success of this, tho’ well ascertained in England, may not answer so well in this Country, where our lands from the exhausted State of them require more manure than the Farm can afford & our Seasons are very precarious.
Rotation No. 3 same place | |||||||
No. of the Fields |
1793 | 1794 | 1795 | 1796 | 1797 | 1798 | 1799 |
3 | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B: Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | B: Wheat | Clover or othr Grass |
Clover or other Grasses |
4 | Clover or othr Grasses |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | B: Wheat | Clover or other Grasses |
5 | Clover or other Grasses |
Clover or other Grasses |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B: Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | B: Wheat |
6 | B: Wheat | Clover or other Grasses |
Clover or other Grasses |
Corn & Potates |
Wheat | B: Wheat for Manure |
Wheat |
7 | Wheat | B. Wheat | Clover or other Grasses |
Clover or other Grasses |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B: Wheat for Manure |
1 | B: Wheat for Manure |
Wheat | B: Wheat | Clover or other Grasses |
Clover or other Grasses |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat |
2 | Wheat for Manure |
B: Wheat or other |
Wheat or other |
B. Wheat | Clover or other Grasses |
Clover or other Grasses |
Corn & Potatoes |
Plowing &ca &ca for the above Crops | |||||||||||||||
acrs. | Fall | Winr | Mar. | Apl | May | June | July | Aug. | Sepr | Total | |||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn as before & P. | 100 | 60 | 10 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 75 | 455 | |||||
4 | ![]() |
150 | Clover or &ca | ||||||||||||
5 | |||||||||||||||
6 | 75 | B: Wheat | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
2d Plowing | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
1 | 75 | B: Wht Mane | |||||||||||||
1st Plowing | 100 | ||||||||||||||
2. do & sowg | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
3 do plowg in | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
4 do Sowg Wht | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||||
7 | 75 | Wheat sown as above | |||||||||||||
2 | 75 | Wht with Corn | |||||||||||||
100 | 160 | 110 | 170 | 170 | 170 | 175 | 955 | 1 |
Probable Yield | |||||||||
acrs. | Bushls | ||||||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn | a | 12½ bushls | 937½ | 2/6 | £117. 3.9 | ||
& Potatoes | 12½ Do | 937½ | 1/ | 40.17.6 | |||||
4 | ![]() |
150 | Clovr or Grass | ||||||
5 | |||||||||
6 | 75 | B. Wheat | 12 | 900 | 1/8 | 75 | |||
1 | 75 | B. Wht Mane | |||||||
2 | ![]() |
150 | Wheat | 10 | 1500 | 5/ | 375 | ||
7 | |||||||||
525 | 4275 | £614.1.3 |
The above Rotation in point of produce & profit is precisely the same as No. 2 but differs in the succession of Crops. It requires about the same Plowings; and these plowings are pretty regularly distributed through the Spring & Summer Months. The Wheat field which follows the B: Wheat manure, might have the Stubble turned in immediately after harvest for manure and for Green food (proceeding from the shattered grain) for Sheep, Calves &ca in the Winter & Spring.
Rotation No. 4 same Place | |||||||
No. of the Fields |
1793 | 1794 | 1795 | 1796 | 1797 | 1798 | 1799 |
3 | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wht | Clover | Wheat | B: Wheat | Clover |
4 | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wht | Clover | Wheat | B. Wheat |
5 | B. Wht | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wht | Clover | Wheat |
6 | Clover | B. Wht | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wht | Clover |
7 | Wheat | Clover | B. Wht | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat |
1 | B. Wht | Wheat | Clover | B. Wht | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat |
2 | Wheat | B. Wht | Wheat | Clover | B. Wht | Clover | Corn & Potatoes |
Plowings &ca &ca for the above Crops | ||||||||||||||
acs. | Fall | Win | Mar. | Aprl | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Total | ||||
No. 3 | 75 | for Corn & Potatoes | 100 | 60 | 10 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 75 | 455 | ||||
4 | ![]() |
150 | Clover | |||||||||||
6 | ||||||||||||||
5 | ![]() |
150 | B. Wheat | breakg | 100 | 100 | 200 | |||||||
1 | ||||||||||||||
Sowing | 100 | 100 | 200 | |||||||||||
7 | ![]() |
150 | Wheat—one field | |||||||||||
2 | ||||||||||||||
follows. Corn. | ||||||||||||||
The other Clover. | ||||||||||||||
1 plowing | 100 | 100 | ||||||||||||
100 | 60 | 110 | 170 | 170 | 170 | 175 | 955 |
Probable Yield | |||||||||
Acrs. | Bushls | Bushls | |||||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn | a 12½ | 937½ | a 2/6 | £117.3.9 | |||
same in Potatoes | 12½ | 937½ | 1/ | 46.17.6 | |||||
4 | ![]() |
150 | Clover | ||||||
6 | |||||||||
5 | ![]() |
150 | B. Wheat | 12 | 1800 | 1/8 | 150 | ||
1 | |||||||||
7 | ![]() |
150 | Wheat | 10 | 1500 | 5/ | 375 | ||
2 | |||||||||
525 | 5175 | £689.1.3 |
Remarks.
This Rotation, for quantity of Grain & the profit arising from it, is more productive than either of the preceeding; and with no more plowing, excepting No. 1—No field gives more than three Corn Crops in 7. years, except the Crop of B: Wht. The last of wch with the Indian Corn, will be more than adequate for all the demands of the Farm. The Clover is to be Sown with the B. W. in July; and by being only one year in the grd may be too expensive on acct of the Seed—nor will the fields in this Course receive any green manure. and the advantages of sowing Wheat on a Clover lay in this Country is not well ascertained—again, preparg 2 fields for B. Wht may in practi<ce> be found difficult—Wheat Stubble might be plowed in here for Spring food.
Rotation No. 5 Same Place. | |||||||
No. of the fields |
1793 | 1794 | 1795 | 1796 | 1797 | 1798 | 1799 |
3 | Corn & Potato’s |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover | Whea | B. Wheat |
4 | B. Wheat | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover | Wheat |
5 | Wheat | B: Wht | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover |
6 | Clover | Wheat | B: Wht | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | Clover | Wheat |
7 | Wheat | Clover | Wheat | B: Wht | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | Clover |
1 | Clover | Wheat | Clover | Wheat | B: Wht | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat |
2 | Wheat | Clover | Wheat | Clover | Wheat | B. Wht | Corn & Potatoe |
Plowings &ca &ca for the above Crops | ||||||||||||||
Acs. | Fall | Winr | Mar. | Apl | May | June | July | Augt | Sep. | Total | ||||
No. 3 | 75 | for Corn & Potatoes | 100 | 60 | 10 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 75 | 455 | ||||
4 | 75 | B: Wht | breakg up | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
2d Plowing | 100 | 100 | ||||||||||||
6 | ![]() |
150 | Clover | |||||||||||
1 | ||||||||||||||
2 | 75 | Wheat corn grd | ||||||||||||
5 | ![]() |
150 | Ditto on Clovr | |||||||||||
7 | ||||||||||||||
1 Plowing | 105 | 105 | 210 | |||||||||||
100 | 100 | 60 | 10 | 70 | 170 | 70 | 180 | 105 | 865 |
Probable Yield. | |||||||
Acrs. | Bushls | ||||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn | 12½ Bushls | 937½ | 2/6 | £117. 3.9 | |
same in Potatoes | 12½ | 937½ | 1/ | 46.17.3 | |||
4 | 75 | B. Wheat | 12 | 900 | 1/8 | 75.0.0 | |
6 | ![]() |
150 | Clover | ||||
1 | |||||||
2 | ![]() |
225 | Wheat | 10 | 2250 | 5/ | 562.10.0 |
5 | |||||||
7 | |||||||
525 | 5025 | £801.11.0 |
Remarks
By the above Rotations, the quantity of Grain is nearly equal to that of No. 4, and the value of it greater; occasioned by the encrease of Wheat. This rotation is effected with as little plowing as No. 1. and with less than in either of the other three Numbers, 2, 3 & 4. But in this course no Green manure is introduced, except plowing in Clover is so considered; and the quality of the Clover on much reduced Land is to be questioned—& the practice of sowing on it as has been observed in some of the other numbers not much used, nor the advantages of it well ascertained—Besides there is the expence of Clover Seed for 150 Acres every year to be encountered.
Rotation No. 6 same Farm. | |||||||
No. of the Fields |
1793 | 1794 | 1795 | 1796 | 1797 | 1798 | 1799 |
3 | Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B: Wheat for Manure |
Wheat & the Stubble Plowed in |
B. Wh ½Crop & ½ Mane |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
4 | B. Wheat for Manure |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat & the Stubble Plowed in |
B. Wh. ½ Crop & ½ Mane |
Wheat |
5 | Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat & the Stubble Plowed in |
B. Wh. ½ Crop ½ Mane |
6 | B. Wh. ½ Crop ½ Mane |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat & the Stubble Plowed in |
7 | Wheat & the Stubble Plowed in |
B. Wh. ½ Crop ½ Mane |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Corn & | Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
1 | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat & the stubble Plowed in |
B. Wh. ½ Crop ½ Mane |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Corn & Potatoes |
Wheat |
2 | Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Wheat & the stubble Plowed in |
B. Wh. ½ Crop ½ Mane |
Wheat | B. Wheat for Manure |
Corn & Potatoes |
Plowings &ca &ca for the above Crops | |||||||||||||
Acrs. | Fall | Winr | Mar. | Aprl | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Total | |||
No. 3 | 75 | of Corn & Potatoes | 100 | 60 | 10 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 75 | 455 | |||
4 | 75 | B: Wheat for Mane | |||||||||||
breaking up | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
2d Plowing | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
5 | 75 | Wheat single Plowg | 100 | 100 | |||||||||
6 | 75 | B. Wheat for Mane &ca | |||||||||||
breaking up | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
2 | plowing | 50 | 50 | 100 | |||||||||
1 | 75 | B. Wht for Mane | |||||||||||
breaking up | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
2d Plowing 1st of June | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
2 | 75 | Wheat Corn grd | |||||||||||
7 | 75 | Ditto on B. Wht | |||||||||||
1st plowg in B. Wh. | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
2 Plowing in Wht | 100 | 100 | |||||||||||
200 | 100 | 160 | 110 | 120 | 170 | 220 | 175 | 100 | 1355 |
Probable Yield | ||||||||
Acrs. | ||||||||
No. 3 | 75 | in Corn | a 12½ | 937½ | Bushls | a 2/6 | £117.3.9 | |
Same in Potatoes | 12½ | 937½ | 1/ | 46.17.6 | ||||
5 | ![]() |
225 | Wheat | 10 | 2250 | 5/ | 562.10. | |
7 | ||||||||
2 | ||||||||
4 | ![]() |
|||||||
1 | 150 | B. Wheat Man. | ||||||
6 | 75 | ½ Mane 37½ Crop | 12 | 450 | 1/8 | 37.10.0 | ||
525 | 4575 | 764.1.3 |
The above is the 2d most productive Rotation; but the fields receive no rest, being every year under the Plow, nor in this course is there any field in grass or pasture: and besides, the qty of Plowing exceeds any of the other Rotations by 280 days & most of them considerably more. The advantage it has over any of the others is, the frequent dressings with Green manure. Plowing one of the Wheat fields immediately after Harvest will by means of the Wheat Stubble also help the Land, and afford Green food for Ewes & Lambs, Calves & Mules during the Winter & Spring.
Note,
No mention is made of Harrowing in any of the foregoing Rotations; because, except in the Indian Corn, it may be done principally, if not wholly by Oxen.
The plowing is calculated at ¾ of an Acre pr day.2 If then, one Plow will go over a 75 Acre field in 100 days—five plows will do it in 20 days. In some ground, in the State of it—and according to the Seasons, an Acre at least ought to be plowed pr day by each Team; but ¾ of an Acre is calculated upon in order to reduce it to more certainty.
The fields are all estimated at 75 Acs. each (although they run a little more or less) for the sake of more easy calculation of the Crops & to shew their comparative yield.
AD, DLC:GW. Since this document discusses alternative future crop rotations, it probably was written before the spring planting season of 1793. For an earlier example of GW’s consideration of alternative rotations, see the comparison of GW’s and Anthony Whitting’s rotations for an unspecified farm for the years 1790 to 1796 (DLC:GW, filed at the end of 1794).
1. GW apparently added the “Total” column, which omits 100 days for the first plowing of buckwheat manure. Had he added the total row, which included that plowing, he would have reached the correct number of 1,055.
2. At this point GW wrote and struck out, “with allowance for Sundays but none for bad weather.”