The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-09-07
.fGRICULTUR.sL.
From the Albany Cultivation.
improvement of old Lands
by Green Nanuring.

years ago, tried the experiment Of reno.
waiting worn on, pasture. field by Green.
Manuring, or, the blowing in Of Green
Crops. The highly satisfactory results
Of this experiment, and the general subject
of improvements by this system Of manur.
ing, we're so freshly brought TO mind yes
terday IN sro,lIng over my field, that |
now give you my experience, together with
a brief collection OF facts and principles
touching the mater, from other sources.
The field which | experimental upon
contains four acres; II is a light, thin,
sandy, loan, aud is situated upon a high
swell, over mile from the barn, and diff.
cult Of access with manure cart. Ii had
been exhausted Of all fertility by success.
slve and injud'cious Groupings with rye, be.
fore i. came under my management. A
thin heritage, Of little or no value, would
show itself in the spring, only to be follow.
ed BY brown and most ard appearance
at md summer. For two or three years
| occasionally passed over this land, think.
ing that the next season should witness
some exploit fJr is renovation; but the
great difficulty that continually presented
itself 10 my mind was, how to commence
an improvement, where there was no pos
sibllily Of cartlng on any fertllzirg sub
stance, al reasonable EXPENSE finally
decided upon the following course:
In the latter par, Of June, when the lit.
tie vegetation which y,he land produced
was at its greatest Height, it was nicely
turned under, and the field rolled was
quite sure TO start with, that the usual
depth Of blowing, namely, three 10 four in
ches, by which the SHINING process is
made finally complete, or receives its foil
finish, had been the practice here; and
therefore put the plow into the depth Of six
inches, IN order 20 expose a surface that
had never before seen the day, which was
thought TO be Of better quality than the
first four inches. At any rate, il could
not be poorer. Three pecks OF buck hea
TO the acre, were soyn upon the rolled sur
face, and narrowed in. The crop was
permitted 10 rpen at general average
yield OF eight bushels per acre. As | had
laid plan of operations which were TO ex.
tend through more than one season, and as
wished 10 ties, the merits of green manu-
ring, CONCLUDED to take off whatever Of
scaniy crop the land would naturally pro.
duce, 10 order 10 compare i, with another
crop, to be harvested a. the end Of the
courae, Otherwise, should 20. nave
taxed this poor o. pasture vita gram
crop ., all.
In May folIowiag, one bushel Of buck,
wheat was soan on each acre, and when
the crop had attained il. blossom, It was
turned under A heavy cham, with one
end attached 10 the plow-beam immediate.
ly forward Of The mould board, and the
other to the off end Of the eyener, Topped
down The tender buckwheat stalks, SO that
the plow covered them up pretty we'll
The field was then rolled the same guam.
tiiy Of buckwhest again sown, and the crop
managed precisely like the preceding one.
Late in September, one and half bushel
of winter rye vas sown to The acre. The
following spring, The rye presented d re-
markable spgeardnce. Ii stood 50 thick
and heavy upon the ground that It reqlIr'
ed some resolution 10 plow Il under; espe-
cially when al outsiders were pronouucing
il an lmprogijen, and lnjudicious proce
dure. The rye was tutued under. o.
the goth OF June one tushel Of buck : heal
was again sown on each other with grass
seeds. Ii Is risky sowing grass seed al
such season 4 the year; but il was we,
weather al he time, and we had a sutii
clent succession Of showers through the
summer to insure a good catch Of grass
The crop ripeued, AMI gave an average
yield Of ; bushels per acre being an in.
crease Of over 100 per cent. over the first
crop. Ii IS entirely safe 10 say, that one.
halt 40 acre has produced more value il
feed since, than the four acres did preyl
Gus to blowing IN the green crops. | shaI
never be al a loss to know what TO DO will
similar fields hereafter. A number Of ln
teresLing Communications upon the subject
Of green crops for manure, have been pub.
lIshed 10 our agricultural Journals. With
your permission | will cite the following
Interesting facts from two Of them.
In the OH. Vol, y. f. Farmer, W.
Buckmiuister Esq, Of Farmingham, Mass.
states tina, 10 May, l727, he plowed up
three aud half acres Of poor pasture. II
had been so reduced by former owner,
that ten acres dId not afJrd sufficient pas.
turage for one COW lhroug1 the season
Immediately after pIowinga busbel Of buck.
wheat to the acre was sown, and IN SIX
weeks, the crop was rolled down in the d..
rectlon he intended to plow, aud then turn
ed under, aud the field sowed as before. -
10 the latter part Of August the second
crop was served like the first, and the and
seeded TO clover, herds grass and the red
top. The next season, The field vas NOV
ed, and although the grass was consldera
bly, winter killed 1t yielded a ton Of hay
TO the acre. The field was afterwards pas
tured; and he never had any pasture.
ground yield well before. lie thought
the green crops improved the land as much
as a good dressing Of manure.