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George Washington and Agriculture " UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CO ^ ^ I— Library o No. 22 (Edition 2) Bibliographical Contributions February 193S GEORGE WASHINGTON AND AGRICULTURE A Classified List of Annotated References with an Introductfoy Note By Everett E. Edwards, Agricultural Economist Division of Statistical and Historical Research Bureau of Agricultural Economics Washington, D. C. PREFACE The first edition of tliis "bilDliogra-ohy on George Washington and Agriculture was issued in Septemher 1931 antici-oation of reqiiests for information on the subject incident to the celebration of the "bicentenary of Washington's hirth. The demand for copies on that occa^sion, as well as since then, has demonstrated the useful- ness of the compilation, not only for its original purpose out also as a source of references on general agricultural conditions during the last half of the eighteenth century. In the preparation of Edition 2 the card catalogs of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Library and the Library of Congress have been systematically consulted, and the following indices have been used: the Agricul turel Index . 19l6-February 193^; A. P. C. - G-rif fin's Bibl i o^.-rs. rhy of American Historical Societies (Ed. 2. Washington, I907); Grace Gardner Griffin's Writings on American History . I906-I93O; 1913-February Industrial Arts Index , 193^; the International Index to Periodicals ^ 1920-Februai:/ 19 3^; Poole ' s Index to Periodical Literature . lSg2-1906; Readers ' Gui de to Periodical Literature . 1900-February 19 3^; and Headers Gi-i-ide to Periodical T-i^'^' abbre- Literc.ture Supplement ^ 1907-1919- viations used are those prescribed in U.S. Department of Agricul- ture Bulletin 1330. Everett E. Edwards Agricultural Economist Division of Statistical and Historical Research Bureau of Agricultural Economics CONTENTS Preface iii Introductory note 1 Washington's agricultural writings h Washington's farming activities. 12 Mount Vernon- Washington's home... 33 Washington and western land ^9 Washington's interest in internal improvements 63 Index 72 - V - . INTRODUCTORY NOTE Washington's great as'oiration was to "be a successful farmer. Having settled at Mount Vernon in 1759, each time he was called to his co'UJitry's service he left his famin-' v.ith ^.reater reluctance. During the long and trying years of the American Revolution and also later during his "oresidency he constantly locked' forwarr] to the day when he could lay down his ^ouhlic duti-es and return to Mount Vernon. In I78S he wrote to Arthu.r Young, then the foremost- exponent of improved agricultural methods in Z'n'land, that "The more I am acquainted ivith agricultural affairs, the "better I am pleased with them; insomuch, that I can no where find so great satisfaction as in those innocent and useful pursuits. In indulging these feelings, I am led to reflect how much more delightft)! to an unde"bauched mind is the task of mpJcing improvements on the earth, than all the vain glory which can "be ac- quired from ravaging it, iDy the most uninterr'u;pted. career of conquests." Sinilar expressions of this view arc found throughout his corresnondence and are attested "by the incidents and ohservations recorded in his diaries. In his attitude toward agriculture, Washington exem-olif ied the spirit of scientific research. His farming was remarkahle in that he did many things advocated hy agi'iculturist.s of today. He worked to conserve his soil and check its erosion, he diversified his crops, and he pioneered in using new machinery until Mount Vernon "became a veritable experimental farm. In attempting scientific farming his task was not easy. Today any farmer in America can get technical information and suggestions "by writing the United States Department of Agriculture, the agricultural college or experiment station of his State, the local county agent, or one of the many farm journals, "but Wasliington had no such aids. Only a few at that time were interested in improved methods, and he had to seek facts hy ex- perimenting and "by corresponding with mem'bers of a small group in England, led ty Arthur Young and John Sinclair, who were making carefu.l studies a?id publishing their findin':;'s. Extensive notes among Washington's papers indicate how carefully he read the writings of these men. Washington's interest in agriculture was not limited to Mount Vernon. His wide travels throu-ghout the colonies and his acquaintance with the leading agricu-ltu.rists of Europe as well as America gpve him a comprehensive understandin',; of the importance and needs of agriculture in the Nation he did so much toward creating. Washington had a vision of an empire of farms west of the Alleghenies, o.nd he led in the efforts to im- prove transportation facilities between the headwaters of the Potomac River and those of the Ohio in order that the farmers who settled in the West could have a market for their crops. In his last anmial message to Congress he recommended the creation of a "board of agriculture to collect and distri"bute information on improved methods of agriculture and ""by premi^JIns and small peciiniary aids to encourage and assist a spirit of discovery and improvement." The Nation had. to wait many years for the eJtecutive department v;hich he envisioned. - 1 - Washington gradually added to his inherited holdings, and at one time or another he owned 3ome 63,615 acres of land in thirty-seven localities, together with twenty-four city lots and one vhole square. However, the Mount Vernon estate, co ii^rising approximately 5,C77 acres and divided into five farms and woodlands, received his major attention. In connection with this estate, he oTserated a fisher:^, a ferry, ajid two girst mills. Conserving the soil and checking its erosion were of first importance in Washington's mind throu'hout the years following the "Revolution. Vfhen loo".:ing for a new mana,ger he demanded that the man must "b^, "above all, Midas like, one who ci-n convert everything he touches into manure, as the first tr-''.nsmutation toward gold; in a word, one who can bring v/ornout and gullied lands into good tilth in the shortest time." He experimented with various fertilizers and used marl and muck from the Potomac Fiver bottom on some of his fields. Mechanical difficulties, however, prevented spreading river mud as fertilizer on a Ir.rge scale. Noah VJebster s-'-id that at the time of his visit to MouLit Vernon the standing toast was "Success to the mud I" In the early 1760's, Washington, like all other "ol^nters in lower Virginia, specialized in tobacco. In 1759 made 3^,lbO --oixids of it, and in I763, 89,079 ^-o-^nds; by 1773. however, the amount hi'.d dro'iped to 5,000 pounds, and during the cov.rse of the next fifteen years he -oractical- ly discontinued raisinr it. He realized that continuous single crop-cing would destroy the fertility of the soil and turned to other croT)s. By careful seed selection, he dcvelo"oed r, vcr^' good strain of wher.t. In com- menting on the flour rac'.do in his mills for shipment to 'alriitr.tions in the West Indies, he stated that his was as good in quality as any '-reduced in A-Tierica. He experimented with new crops and -orocured seed from other colonies and England. As errly as I760, he sowed lucerne, loiovn today as alfrlfa. He was interested in clovers and grasses, not only as a means of conserving the soil, bv.t rlr.o t provide feed for his livestock. Of special concern to Washington was the itrorovaraent of the drills used in his time. Soon after he settled at Meant Vernon he "Fitted a two Eyed Plo-v instead of a Duck Bill Plow," but the results "cre not satisfactory, and a little later, he "Sr^ent the greater part of the d2.Y in mrking a new olow 01' my own Invention." Ho recorded that "She answered very well." Later he imoortcd an iaprov'^d pLotherhcm or patent plow from En|:land. V'ashington' s observrtions in the northern colonies while le-^.ding the army cAiring the Revolution turned his attention to the desirability of koepin. more and better livestock. Ho was, according to his ov.ti account, the first Amaricr.n to rrise muLes. Soon after the War for Indepo idc^ncc he asked the American representative in Spain "to procure permission to extract a Jack ass of the best breed," but ex-oortation of these animals was at that time prohibited. The King, ho;; ever, in 1785, sent him two .jacks and two jennets. One jack died on the way but the other arrived safely and was rr.pror)riatcly n^med "Royal Gift." This ri.imrl wrs later taken on a tour of the Southern States. In 178b General Lafryctte cent Washington a jack and two jennets of the Malta breed. Washington greatly improved his cheep, increasing the wool produc- tion to pounds as the average fleece, whereas his npidihors seldom clipped 2 poujids. His records show that he had ahout six hvaidred sheep in 1793* his efforts to improve his flock, he found the restrictions on the exportation of breeding animals from the Mother Country a decided drawhack. In a letter to Arthur Young, he said: "But the great im- pediment is the British statutes; these discourage men of delicacy in this country, from attesting what might involve the master of a vessel in serious conseouences , if detected in the "breach of then. Others, however, less scrupulous, have attempted to import English r^ms with success, and, by this means, our flocks, in many places, are much imnoroved- raine, for instance, though I never was concerned, directlv nor indirectly, in the importation of one, further than hy buying lambs which have descended from them." I'i'ashington believed records were essential to successful farming.
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