The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1847-01-20
AGRICULTURAL.
From the American Agriculturist
IMPROVEMENT OF WORKOUT
LANDS. &i

An OPlnlOu mas PFcValieu, tnats Wnen
lands are worn out by culture, without
manuring. q they become, worthless, and
cannot be restored.g.I I herewith furnish all
example Of the fallacy Of that opinion.
Four years ago, purchased u farm Of
edifces OF Union College, and about mile
and.a quarter from my dwelling in town.
1t had been called the Pennyroyol furm
by way of ridicule. This farm was chiefs
ly occupied with thorn bushes, hricrs, and
other worthless shrubbery. Ii had been
cultivated by the former owner SO long as
il would produce buckwhcai, or nylhing,
Without any; manure.
"a small patch enclosed with the garden,
wasiin-rye, mud had been sown with fox.
tail (cummonly called timothy, and SOW
ell foHiail again on the rye; tho next sea-
son:grass. i. When. the hay was in cock,
my farmer asked his man 10 take tho hay
asagreward or,mowing il, which lie reuc,-
antly accepted. The Io,hcr parts Of the
tprm were pas.ured, producing some sour
grass, moss, and bushes. We plowed
few acres Of the swartl, and plan,cd it with
Indian corn. A part was manured with
poudlelte, and some: with plaster, asehs,
and manure. Where the poudretle was
applied, il took the lead greatly for awhile,
and eventually all was Of equal growth, and
aagood crop. The following crop was
oats, and good. We. then put on good
coat Of barn-yard manure, pIowcd and
sowed it with winter wheat, the yield Of
which wasvcry fine, and about thirty bush-
els tothe acre. Nd better wheat was seen
iHthis region. We have put on The cult
vated part Of the farm from two to three
hundred wagon loads Of yard and stable
manure annually.
as.The farm is high land, aud nm inclined
ASSsane 10 the west. The same rising slope
east, with the adjoining part of This farm,
has stone quarry, about Two feel below
the surface. The depth of soil increases as
it declines 10 the west. The rains and
melted SHOWS flowed over the whole sur
face, when | took possession. The soil
is generally Of stiff clay, In April, it was
SO wet, that when walking on the grass,
the wafer would wet over the shoes. l
opened ditch along the east bounds, which
conducted the surface waller 10 Tie road.
then made number Of bitches, Of threc
and half 10 four feet deep, and covered
them, after laying drain Of stone large
enough, Tor q cat 70 pass through. The
sidcs were laid with stone and stone
cover then straw. or turf, tie grass.silc
down, before covering with earth. The
ditches yield n regular and clear stream
till June or July. The land becomes suf-
fciently dry for the plow and meadow, and
produces bounliluly.
A meadow, in detached piece towards
she west, ! dilched in a similar manner,
and it yielded a pure stream till midsumcr.
The former owner came to,sec it moved,
and said. that lie, never before saw the III
notify cared out. nor Of half so large a
growth. This was the effect of draining
only, l had not manurcd the meadow.
This meadow had NOT been plowed before.
My crops hare been as good as those or
Of our best farmers. ! have set some hun.
dreds Of plum, pear, peach, ounce, and ap-
pie trees, on the farm, and grated The old
orchard, intending 10 make it q fruit farm.
An opinion has also prevailed, that .he
old and best pears have run out, as the saw.
ing is, and have become worthless. This
is also an error. II the old trees which
produce poor fruit, are well mannred, they
will be restored 10 their former value, and
yield good fruit, large and fine. rryit, as
have done with mytpennyroyal farm. I,is
common opinion, that after setting trees
thework is finished. Trees profit 5v ma
n,irc, us other cgclables do. Feed boun-
tifulIy, and you may reap bountifuly. Ev.
erything possessing life, whether animal,
bird, or vegetable; whether living on land,
in tie air, or in the water, must cal, drink
aud breathe, 10 sustain life. An oyster, or
clam, requires very little air; deprive them