Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-05-22
RENOVATION OF WORKOUT LAND.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE AMERICAN FARMER.

DEAR SIR have frequent letters from different parts OF
this State and Virginia. asking my experience the effects
OF different manures particularly guano, and of my
IN renovang these wom-out lands the modt operand, &C.
Now, my farming operations being quite secondary
sdeaton my general business spare the time from
other occupations in detail these various
muncatons and therefore have concluded to reply them
generally through your very valuable paper and hope may
reach through this chane every OF my correspondents
For this paper and other agricultural publications. together
with natural fonness for the pursuit. am indebted for
| whatever success have met with.
You know my whereabouts in this desert of old fields gu
lies and poverty grass, and well acquainted Gas who Is
not who has travelled from the city Of Baltimore to the
seat of Government with the total banenness of the land
generally therefore need say but little the general char
of the land to start with, and will begin by giving the
for my first attempting what appeared at that time
Hecuean task the renovation of these barren old fields.
Having been reared amid the green fields and lowing herds
OF the most fertile regions the State OF New York,
could look upon the barren face of this country without
its producing feeling of melancholy came to the concu-
sion it would do for to plant myself down here with
the expectation of making permanent residence with such
prospect always before therefore resolved either to
change the general aspect of the country in this respect
leave it, The former appearing the most feasible made
the effort and have the satisfaction to say that lar as the
vision extends from my residence, have succeeded
This country, with all its faults has redeeming qualities
Favored with Heavens greatest blessings universal health
and never-aing supply of the puest spring water with
soil possessing naturally the elements of fertility, beautiful
rolling surface covered with cumps of trees which, for rich
ness and variety OF foliage and beauty OF proportions for
landscape lawn purposes be surpassed in the world
indebted to Heaven for its forbidden appearance, but
that reckless system of cultivation generally to be found
in most of the Southern States
There ways, Mr. Editor, of renovatng these old
fields one recommended frequently in your very vaua
BILE work that is to broadcast the land some FIVE
bushels of ashes with bushe Of plaster per to be fol-
lowed by plpughing in of green crops &C. Now this may
suit with atitudes but will do here, where good
November will
fence every particle of vegetation from the face of these
old fields The labor alone which would be required in the
ploughing and reploughng, &C. this method, would if
hired out by the day to work upon public work. purchase
ashes enough do year what would require five
TO accomplish in this slow method.
Another plan go it Taylor fashion, and do the thing
right up As example Of this latter plan, will give you
the result of experiment made last year upon of these
" old fields and take this merely because it is fresh
before having just finished theshng the crop grown
upon this field and because shows any favorable
results than twenty other experiments of which have
moranda.
purchased last year addition my farm of 365 acres
of land this tract there lot which lay in upon the
lands had already improved in such inure the
appearance the whole In the spring of 1916 resolved
make attack upon this old field and satisfy myself still
further Of the Of such improvement had surveyed and
plated by regular and found the contents TO be 81
out OF which there taken for house. lot and road
acre, leaving twenty six to be cultivated This
field tenanted out in the year ls45 very worthy
man. who cultivated in corn and have his word that the
product land am no person who the
will ever think Of questioning the amount twenty five
bushels Of nubbns less than five bushels Of per
This 10y the way about the character Of many crops grown
in this neighborhood.
In March, 1896 the grounds would do to haul
oves brought the right of my resources, my flying
artillery in the way Of mule teams loaded TO the muzze from
my heap, and made regular discharge upon my
greatest enerny, the washed and quilted side hills These
peppered thick and strong then put in the poughs and
flushed the whole field up deeply, following in the stiff clay
parts with the subso plough. then brought out my other
forces the shape of ached ashes (Which cost delivered
on the ground SO per hundred bushels and spread the
whole maured parts and a at the of 100 bushels per
acre. pulvezng the ground and mixing well with the harrow
Sowed q bushels pei acre. narrowed agan-sowed
peck fresh cloverseed per acre. and followed with roll
er This all done in the right way and just at The right
time. After the oats well up put the finishing stroke
the whole Battle by bringing up my corps de reserve in the
shape Of guao The first moist day. ali spots that appeared
have been missed in the spreading of ashes appeared
weak dressed with about 200 pounds guano mixed with
one bushel plaster per acre. the about
spots and spread the whole field plaster the rate Of
bushel per You will say perhaps this going it
rather stong and requires more capital than generally be
commanded by the most Of farmers There very few,
however, who have not half dozen worthless
colts eating their heads off every year, say nothing about
the hogs aud horned CATTLE which might be disposed Of in
some way to raise 500, which would improve permanently
of land with leached ashes they might borrow
800 for twelve months with almost certainty of returning il
from the increased product the first CROP you shall
by the following result Of the above experiment.
have just finished threshng and cleaning up ,2l7
bushels Of rsate oats grown upon this field Of 26
average Of 45I bushels per acre. and Chester county
land presented finer Of grass This year will be
cut for hay and would not thank any two
tons per acre. Now for the figures
DEBIT.
1000 bushels ashes $500 90
SO wagon loads manure quilted places. so 90
4OO pounds Suano. 90
5Sl bushels seed oats-io. 10
o. bushels clover seed. SO so
Ploughng, seeding, harvesting .............to0 90
sES so
2' bushels oats 40 cents, worth in market 4s S4S6 90
Pasture last Tall Tor mich 60
Straw in abundance, an offset for threshing, sc.
Mr. Editor, what this land worth the improvements
OF which cost nothng than when il would pro-
duce but live bushels Of poor per Why if there
nothing to 90 TO the credit side of the but the improve
This field, with udcous cultivation, permanently
improved as show by many years experience in the
same kind Of treatment
am frequently asked, chow do you bring up those old
worn-out lands 50 quickly" The is found in the
above example.
have tried guano, and almost every kind Of manure in
almost every way, and have always found them pay well
when put enough on-sabe manure loached ashes, and
guano-pretty much in value as / have named them.
Will the improvement OF these WORKOUT lands pay is n
question am frequently asked have every be-
lieve they will commenced the improvement Of the place
now live on in the year 1893. At that time had pas
ture sufficient Tor poor and have followed IL
since, giving Just much Of my individual attention could
be spared without injury to my other legitimate business
and in fact just much necessary relieve the mind
from the haassments Of perpexng occupation. The