in that through the summer as well as winter, keeping them constantly up and well littered? This with me, would be in the clover field of the first year, because during the second year it would be rotting, and would be spread on it in fallow the beginning of the third, but such an effort would be far above the present tyro state of my farming. The grosser barbarisms in culture which I have to encounter are more than enough for all my attentions at present. The dung-yard must be my last effort but one. The last would be irrigation. It might be thought at first view, that the interposition of these ameliorations or dressings between my crops. will be too laborious, but observe that the turnips and two dressings of vetch do not cost a single ploughing. The turning the wheat-stubble for the turnips is the fallow for the corn of the succeeding year. The first sowing of vetches is on the corn. (as is now practised for wheat), and the turning it in is the flush-ploughing for the crop of potatoes and The second sowing of the vetch is on the wheat fallow, and the turning it in is the ploughing necessary for sowing the buckwheat. These three ameliorations, then, will cost but a harrowing each. On the subject of the drilled husbandry, I think experience has established its preference for some plants, as the turnip, pea, bean, cabbage, corn, etc., and that of the broadcast for other plants as all the bread grains and grasses, except perhaps lucerne and Saint foin in soils and climates very productive

peas.

of weeds. In dry soils and climates the broadcast is better for lucerne and Saint foin, as all the south of France can testify.

I have imagined and executed a mould-board which may be mathematically demonstrated to be perfect, as far as perfection depends on mathematical principles, and one great circumstance in its favor is that it may be made by the most bungling carpenter, and cannot possibly vary a hair's breadth in its form, by but gross negligence. You have seen the musical instrument called a sticcado. Suppose all its sticks of equal length, hold the fore-end horizontally on the floor to receive the turf which presents itself horizontally, and with the right hand twist the hind-end to the perpendicular, or rather as much beyond the perpendicular as will be necessary to cast over the turf completely. This gives an idea (though not absolutely exact) of my mouldboard. It is on the principle of two wedges combined at right angles, the first in the direct line of the furrow to raise the turf gradually, the other across the furrow to turn it over gradually. For both these purposes the wedge is the instrument of the least resistance. I will make a model of the mould-board and lodge it with Colonel Harvie in Richmond for you. This brings me to my thanks for the drill plough lodged with him for me, which I now expect every hour to receive, and the price of which I have deposited in his hands to be called for when you please. A good instrument of this kind

is almost the greatest desideratum in husbandry. I am anxious to conjecture beforehand what may be expected from the sowing turnips in jaded ground, how much from the acre, and how large they will be? Will your experience enable you to give me a probable conjecture? Also what is the produce of potatoes and what of peas in the same kind of ground? It must now have been several pages since you began to cry out "mercy." In mercy then I will here finish with my affectionate remembrance to my old friend Mr. Pendleton, and respects to your fireside, and to yourself assurances of the sincere esteem of dear Sir, your friend and servant.

TO THOMAS MANN RANDOLPH.

MONTICELLO, November 28, 1796.

It is so cold that the freezing of the ink on the point of my pen renders it difficult to write. We have had the thermometer at 12°. My works are arrested in a state entirely unfinished, and I fear we shall not be able to resume them. Clarke has sold our wheat in Bedford for 8s. 6d. and the rise to the first of June, with some other modifications. It appears to be a good sale. He preferred it to 10s. 6d. certain, which was offered him. I think he was right as there is little appearance of any intermission of the war.

I thank you for your letter of news, and am glad

to see the republican pre-eminence in our assembly. The paper you inclosed me presents a result entirely questionable, according to my own ideas of the subject. The preponderance of the McKean interest in the western counties of Pennsylvania is by no means so great as is there supposed. You will believe the true dispositions of my mind on that subject. It is not the less true, however, that I do sincerely wish to be the second on that vote rather than the first. The considerations which induce this preference are solid, whether viewed with relation to interest, happiness or reputation Ambition is long since dead in my mind. Yet even a well-weighed ambition would take the same side. My new threshing machine will be tried this week. P. Carr is on the point of marriage. All are well here, and join in the hope of your continuing so. Adieu.

TO JOHN TAYLOR.1

MONTICELLO, October 8, 1797.

We have much here of an improvement made in the Scotch threshing machine by Mr. Martin, and that you have seen and approved it. Being myself well acquainted with the original geared machine and Booker's substitution of whirls and bands (as I

1 Printed from the original in the Washburn Collection of Autographs given to the Society.-EDS.

'See the letter from Jefferson to Taylor, June 4, 1798.—EDS.

It

have one of each kind), it will perhaps give you but a little trouble to give me so much of an explanation as will be necessary to make me understand Martin's, and let it apply, if you please, to the movements by horses or by hand. I must ask the favor of you to get me one of the same drills you sent me before, made in the best manner, with a complete set of bands and buckets, and packed in a box, in pieces, in the most compact manner the workman can do it, and forwarded to me at Philadelphia as soon after the meeting of Congress as possible. is for a friend, and to go still further, which renders this mode of packing necessary. For the amount when you will make it known, I will either enclose you a bank bill from Philadelphia, or send it you in fine tea or anything else you please to order. How did your turnip seed answer? I have received from England, and also from Italy some seed of the winter vetch, a plant from which I expect a good deal. If it answers I will send you of the seed. I have also received all the good kinds of field pea from England, but I count a great deal more on our southern cowpea. If you wish any of them, I will send you a part.

I have not yet seen Hamilton's pamphlet; but I understand that finding the strait between Scylla

The pamphlet referred to is the well-known "Observations on Certain Documents contained in No. v. and vi. of 'The History of the United States for the Year 1796,' in which the charge of speculation against Alexander Hamilton, late Secretary of the Treasury, is fully refuted. Written by Himself,"-EDs.