Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-10-03
AGRICULTURAL.
from the North Carolina Farmer.

who treat the idea as vain and visionary.
Last fall, when some of our neighbors saw
us hauling rich dirt from the deposites OH
the sides of branches, and leaves and trash
from the woods, and spreading the same
upon piece of exhausted old field; and
then turning il over with two horse team,
followed with coulter running into the
subsoil, laughed heartily at our folly; but
now we have the pleasure OF shelving them
on this very same piece of old field. thus
only partially improved, (for we had not
timesto give half dressing,) respectable
field of corn, with luxuriant growth~of
reas,
We present below, for the encourage
ment of those who are disposed TO attempt
this kind Of Improvement, two or three
cases. which we have gathered from our
exchange papers.
Mr. George Latshaw, from PennsylVa-
vania, took an old worn out farm near Win
chestr, Va, which had not in ten years
produced an average exceeding six bushels
of corn per acre. Mr.. J.. began by NOW
ing down the brers and thistles, ploughing
the land 8 inches deep. The neighbors
told him he could not produce anything.
but his labor was rewarded by yield of
% bushels Corn 10 the acre. This he at
tributes to the deep pIoughing and. careful
cultivation. A pretty good commencement
it must be allowed.
Mr.. Latshaw then ploughed his Wheat
ground in the months of July and August
eight inches deep, giving it the second
ploughing about the middle of September,
and narrowing in his seed. This method
of working the land gave it body and mois-
ture-and upon 70 acres, thus titled, he
has averaged 20 bushels of Wheat to the
acre. BY deep ploughing, and cultivation
in the earl part of the season, the trou-
blesome crop of briers and thistles has been
entirely removed, and the extraordinary re-
suit has been attained and this without
clover or manure.
.Another.-A farmer in Baltimore coun-
ty, Maryland, took in hand field SO poor
that Il would mt raise a fine species of grass,
land, as the only thing that will grow on
our most completely exhausted lands, call
ed dogs hair. Other engagements pre-.
vented his beginning upon ii in the fall, as
he should have done. He describes his
method of managing it and the result as
follows: "Aiter having it ploughed, har.
rOwed and rolled in March, had it cross
ploughed, narrowed twice and rolled il
April; marked off in cheeks 3 f. by l-2
widest spaces running north and south
or nearly so;-hauled out two hundred ono
horse cart loads of wood-pile stuff; ant
sand and mortar, from an old wall, com.
posted, about equal pcrts, putting two sho
wells full in each hill. Now the soil natu
bottom, with a few traces of iron ore, il
particles "a stiff unmanageable soil il
ploughed when acet, and impossible TO b.
worked when dry.
The season, you will remember, wa!
very dry, notwithstanding this, after the
hoeing, ordered the cultivator to be pass
ed through it both directions, until counter
manded-l was assured by all the OLE
hands, "lrll all fire sir" Ipersisted, how
ever; laid it all up about the 2lst July, will
small one horse plough, ploughing abou
four inches deep; cultivated it down leve
again; cut it off down 10 the ground On tn
18th September, and hauled off, to shock
fair yield Of heavy corn. The next da.
put in Wiley, Sc, plough; IA good i'm
pllment where there is no sod J eros
ploughlng the last spring lurrow, and fol
low it with Sinclair & Co. No. 8. sub
soil plough. obtaining by this a depth c
sixteen inches; zine of old and seven c
new soil--the subsol retained It's origina
bed, but pulverised and lightened up, 81
that an addition of some inches to the gen
eral surface was apparent, besides securin
deposit for the absorption of all surplu
moisture, if a wet, or in dry season re
servolr OF water to be evaporated by til
sun, through the pores of the superstratur
of old earth; thus gradually incorporatin
the whole mass-which is completed by
deep ploughing with the ordinary plough
when next broken up-and nourishing tn
crop. But, to return, having fnishe
ploughing and narrowing, it was seeded
wheat on the 2lst September, the soil az
pearing to be mellow, finely pulverise
loam-.he rain falling in torrents, befol
we finished, prevented the lands from b,
ing opened, the water, burrows. marked O
Or being rolled in; yet we succeeded
getting the timothy seed sown, dependir
upon the rain to set it. The ground bega
to clog and betray symptoms of the so
leaven'-nor did 1t dry till the April fo
lowing-one acre was narrowed in wi