The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1848-11-01

| lllc COlH was IOlloWCu Nv Cl'p vi Siloi
gram and liberal supply Of clover and tim
olhy seed and plaster the latter producing
no visible effect whatever; and nearly all the
grass seed perished, leaving the surface a:
bare as before. But before the field agar
came in course for cultivation, the good CT
feet of the lime was SO evident by the growth
of white cover-a neaU variety in that VI
cinity-,hal | was encouraged to lime the
whole field containing about l2 acres, and
also including this acres; put on as before,
just after breaking up for corn. The crop
on this portion, was increased fully TO
fold, over that adjoining, and but recently
lined; thus literally paying all expenses, and
has continued ever since to produce prohta-
BILE crops. Plaster now acts on 1t with
marked effect. The first application was
made some IS or 10 years since; and to test
the durability Of lime, these 4 acres have
been kept for experiment, and without the
addition Of other manure, except portion
intended for still further experiment. About
acres were sown in broadcast corn, with
200 pounds Peruvian Guano, then. followed
wheat on The acres AMI with 200 lbs. Gu
ano 10 the acre, leaving 2 lands without Gu
anO.
The corn was materially benefited by the
Guano; but the wheat was not benefited by
the precious application of it, though it was
nearly or quite doubled, over the two lands
left without any Guano: the wheat was har.
vested two years since: and no one could
now point out by the growth Of the clover,
uniformly good on the whole, and equally
lined, which portion had and which had no
Guano: the conclusion is, that the ''renova-
ting" effects Of lime, are thus far TEN times
as durable as Guano; how much longer re-
mains to be seen.
Some nine or ten years since, deter
mined TO reclaim an adjoining field, at what
ever cost. was told long previous by one
of my neighbors who sold his farm, and re-
moved to the west, in order settle on bet
ter land, that the attempt would be futile; or
if it ever was made productive. it would
cost great deal more than the land was
worth. The prospcc, was forbldding; for
the larger potion was as much reduced as
could be, by shallow tiagc, no manure,
no grass seed sown, and producing little else
than running briars. 1t was broken up in
the fall and winter, to much greater depth
than it was ever poughcd before; sixty bush.
els of quick lime to the acre. were applied
n the spring, the ground well harro" cd and
planted in corn; such portions as required II
having been well under drained some 9 TO 3
ACRES, anil which were about the amount that
produced anything of a crop, or that more
than paid the expense of pIoughing. A crop
of oats and grass seed followed; as it was
not considered worth the trouble and cx-
pcnse,to put in crop of wheat, on two-lhIrds
of the field. A(lcr or years, the same
field again coming in course exactly tho same
plan was pursued, as to pIoughIng and llme:
but rather increasing the depth than other
WISE.
The crop Of corn, though injured by the
bud worm, was good: enabling me 10 do,
what had rarely, or never done before, sell
from quarter to a third OF the crop. Oats
f,llowcd, on about two-lhirds Of the field;
with some 5 or bushels of bones to the
acre, and wheat on the balance, with Guano:
both heavy crops, and odg dging over the great
er part of the field. Then followed a wheat
CIibp i)lI llIC "llDC Cu uuSii 'NSoi-
hlc from the barn yard, and on the balance,
a light dressing Of guano OF some 50 to 100
pounds TO the acre. The average yield Of
The field was over lhirty-llrcc bushels TO the
acre.
These results arc attained with certainty;
for every field and lot arc accurately sur
vcvc,l, and the contents noted on the plat OF
the farm: and the product Of this field was
kept separate, threshcd and measured by
itself The greater portion suffered from
the drought early last year; and the harvest
ING was badly done; owing to the fallen and
tangled state Of the grain from storm,
about the time of rIpening; but | have NJ
doubt, several contiguous acres mi ght have
been selected on the lowest ground Uhe por
ton under draincd) on which the yield was
over 40 bushels to the acres This season
the same field yielded the heaviest crop of
grass | ever harvested; and even on what
was originally the poorest part there is now
a uxurant crop of second growth clover
and intended for seed, that is lodged over
the whole extent. We will estimate the
profit and loss by figures:
To GO bushels of limc cost at the kiln, l6c 5000
7ycars' interest, (though it paid in.
| pasture III less tiIne,O 4O3
60 bushels OF lime, cost at the kiln,
II 1-2 cents, 759
3 years interest, l.3o
GO bushels ground bone, at SOC. 300
100 unds Guano (African) 200
$274S
CONTRA.
By 33 bushels of wheat, average
price sold at l.3l Sl323
Estimate increase OF corn crop, at
least 6 barrels, at S3, (and en-
(tircy owing to the lime, l20O
Estimate increase OF Oat CROP
20 bushels, a. 4Oc' S.OO