Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1833-06-25

considerable space which has never vet been lined now
appears even more unproducve than Mr. l.. estimates il
probable ycl viz Is bushels OF corn or OF rye. Such
poor land lac finds profitable in rye and there
lore does not SOW in wheat; but supposcs might bring
8 or bushels TO the The natural growth now
it svery meagrc. and throughout, is in part formed o.
sheep sorre and hens nest grass This piece very e
VEL and has well improved ground lying along side.
Is rather more sandy than the average OF the farm EN-
ep Tor the reddih brown colour of this aud the other
Improved land there is perccptbe indication of its
having been rich III state OF nature, which Mr. L. sup
poses was the case with the whole of yanoke, though all
was impoverished before he first knew the farm All the
spots that have not been lined (and they in various
places show considerable growth of sonel-and APP
pears III smaller quantity even ia many places that have
been lined, thus proving sufficiently the original suitable
NESS OF the soil TO that weed The reddish brown color
belongs TO all the land being the darker where
proved The subso is not very different from the soil,
but is more sandy. No clay any where
It's very general opinion in Virginia that sandy soils
are greatly interior TO clay soils in their capacity for
ceivng durable improvements and yielding the most
BILE products aud profits TO the cultvaor This opinion
has probably out Of the facts that nearly our
most valuable lands loans OF different degrees adhe
sivenes aud that sandy soils almost always poor
ana oil little proh to their owners. Another opinion, still
more extended, aud indeed almost universal is that
rich sands may be the best Of lands they nus
be comparatively worthless for tho production of wheat
The belief long entertained that both these opinions are
quite erroneous formed another nj to present
report OF the arn which furnishes abundant proof that the
mere deficiency oil clay does not soil reaching
inc highest value Wheat requires stiff soil to yield the
greatest possible prodsctbu such lands require so mu
labor and their management depends much OH the
son ana weather, That their OF wheat
heavy and still oitener less profitable than good sandy
soils, where the liability Of texture causes age to be
lar cheaper and the alterations of wet and dry seasons
nave comparatively but little effect in niuriny the crop
or obsructing uage. The crops of sandy soil of
the maximum product is 20 bushels of wheat womb GEN
orally De heavier, and certainly would give average
eear pro than those OF clay soils that might bring 40
bushels under the most favorable circumstances But il
Is ume TO bring forward in support OF this position opinions
anu practice that viii be justly deemed of much higher
authority, IMAM any deductions reasoning OF mine
Rotdf'on IF Crops, and general plan Of C1ltication
cihe farm was formerly kept by Mr. L. under the three
heid rotation, corn-2. wheat-S at rest, under the
spontaneous growth OF grass and weeds more or less
gra1ed At that time, and long afterwards this
the mildes use in lower Virginia Since 1916 his
rotation has been corn2 wheat all good land and oa
or rye on the unnproved add poorest3 clover moved
clover, grazed Clover however has occupied no more
land than had been previously lined. Field peas which all
ways follow the applications of lime, take part of the
field OF the 4h and another smaller part is under fur
mps Formerly $40 acres, third OF the farm eve
ny year under wheat except such parts quite too
Poor-and the average crop less than 1000 bushels
Now lao acres make field and the cd or moor
est parts Casually about 40 acres being in rye or oats on
~ about 100 acres put under wheat and the annual
average crop is now more than doubled Last year. 1892
when only 9S acres were in wheat, the crop was over
Zooo bushels The present average product Of all the
land usually put in wheat is supposed to be 20 bushels
and the corn from the same land the previous year 50
bushels more
Though Mr.. l.. has been, since 1894 attempting TO i'm
prove his land by using putrescent nanurcs in unusually
great quantities. and by his well known careful and iud
cious general mana cement, still the great
made have commenced within the last twelve dur
ing which time he has been regularly lime and
has now given that manure about three oubs of the
land He had made small experiments with lime as long
as six years before, when It's use was unknown in tbs
part OF the country, except in small experiments But
Tor the last twelve years. like other neghborng
mers, he has gone as fully into the practice the supply
OF shels and the dispoabe labor OF the farm would per
NIT Lime first enabled him TO make clover field crop
Before IL could not be produced with any certantv or
profit except the richest lots around the houses which
had the best preparation and every care bestowed II is
now an abundant crop wherever his lime and the subse
mn nj titrasc
The quantity OF stable and farm. pen manure prepared
and applied is unusually great even considering the
abundant supply Si Materials compared to the general
usage But no other means for furnishing vegetable SUBJ
stances to the soil used, green crops pougbed in
nor the entire growth OF grass left any where TO rot upon
the land preferred to pass every puescent mate
rial through the stables and cattle yards In this
the practice OF Mr. L. differs essentially from other
cessul improvers of the soL His green or meIoratno
crops oil clover peas, Sc partly for dry food
and the balance consumed b. live stock in the field He
has tried marsh mud, 90 which his is very easy
hui found 1t not worth the labor. Ii kind com
posed principally of decayed vegetable substances Ma
ked alows for wheat rejected; and even wheat ON
clover lay as being the WHOLE less profitable on such
land than wheat after This decision is not
ed by belief that the former practices would be injurious
TO the SOIL He is not satisfied of the correctness of the
common opinion, that the soil is IMPOVERISHED bv
sure TO the
/ burning and applying Oyster Shell Lime-Close
ns with walls of brick stone have not vet been used
10 ourn oyster shells Tor manure and until fuel becomes
more costly than the additional transport of the lime
1t Will be cheaper to wooden krns. What are com.
monty called lime kilns merely heaps of wood and
shells, built in what cubical form by which The
burning is imperiecty performed great expense of fuel
though without much trouble. MIR. L. burns his SHELF
IN The following manner: pen of sixteen or seventeen
ieet square, is built OF round green pine logs (nocbed
whee they lock, so as 10 close together as their
form will alow and with floor of similar logs cbnked
win smaller pieces, so 10 prevent the shells dropping
through Ihe bottom logs of the kiln are laid on four cor
ner blocks, oil twelve inches to leave vacancy nj
Twelve or hiteen inches between the and the bottom
OIL The 0or, which is to be packed closely with dry wood
he walls Oh the pen raised about feet and about
one hundred logs OF six 10 eight inches through (Which
these now put up seemed TO be) usually serve Tor the
oor and side walls The shells thrown in and i'm law
ers oil different degrees OF thickness according TO their Or
der and separated by thin layers of pine wood cut eight
ee long, and split to the usual for fuel The size OF
the last kiln burnt by Mr. L. according 10 his memoran
DUN book, was as follows:
Kiln IL feet square and feet high inside measure
The lowest bed of shells inches The thinks il might s
we'll have been IL inches)
The second bed Of shells IL inches
third 16
" fourth 20
fifth l5
" sixth 6
The layers OF wood between equal and about six
inches This kiln took hundred hogsheads of SHELF,
and consumed ten cords Of wood in the LAYERS and
more OF foundation kindling wood The kiln should be
fired in calm weather. and il the wind afterwards rises il
should be kept of much possible by screen of brush
or whatever may be most convenient
The burning (n preference) is done in March or az
soon after may be- The newly burnt shells are carted
to he coll