The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1849-05-02
Prom .hs :. c. Advocate.
A MODE OF IMPROVING LAND WITH
IMMEDIATE PROFIT.

n
IMMEDIATE PROFIT.
Mr. EDIroR: -Circuimslances prevent
I'll me from sending you the ariirie which
had designed Cor your last number Of ne
Advocate. had promised 10 show 70
this arlirle the value OF the potato slip
crop. as fertilizer of The soil. and as
foa,I for stock. In addition 10 The amount
Of manure which is prepared and put on
The land for this crop, alter all other crops
are under way and growing, and shlrh
must add greatly 10 The improvement Of
he soil i,r any future cultivation. you will
have IN the llll Of the year. when YOU
90 nmence digging, a quantity Of potato
.iass. which should de stripped down 10
the alleys. and covered up BY The plough,
as you plough dawn The beds for ilIe pnr-
pose 81 facilitating The digging. Tie vines
should never be taken from The land, as
they dry 40 10 nothing when cured, whilst
iley would be a great acquisition % the
land. "The curing of potato vines is
severe blow 10 the land from which these
are taken. When the vines are given
back 10 The soil, The potato is not an ex-
fausIing creP.s
Here, then. we have the combination of
green vegetation from The vines. with the
compost which was put under the crop
and bor.i iogeiher, We contend, constitute
much more than an equivalent for The
exhaustion arising OUT Of The crop produ.
ced. Besides Ill this. there is necessari-
~ complete submerging Of the soil once
or twice during The season. In The first
place. after the beds are thrown up and
The vines are laid along upon them. the
hands dig Up great deal Of subsoil from
the alleys, in order TO cover the vines be-
tween the spaces called ewes. This ex-
b,ses This fresh soil 10 the action Of the AZ
mosphere. and when you plough and pull
down The beds in the fall. mixes il with
the surface soil. Then when yon allow
the hogs TO have the run of the field, after
having gathered your crop. they will eifec-
iually upium the whole again, in order to
root oil every struggling potato which
may have taken deep roots downwards.
THUS; before you wish your field for an
other cfHp il will have undergone rs com.
plete substilihg process as you could
desire. This, teo, is accomplished with.
out any extra labor on The part Of the cut
tivalor. Gov. Seahrook, in his valuable
Essay on the Agricultural capabilities OF
South Carolina, and tie best means oil de-
scloping and improving them, remarks as
follows: "In all suggested rotations, roots
seem 10 have been designedly omitted.
Now these perform highly important Of
flee. By tap-rooted aud uherons-rooied
plants, thorough opening and deep pier
cling Of tile soil is effected, and il hogs be
allowed To crafty their appetite by their
own labor, very economical and etlecu-
al subsoil ploughing is secured. BY the
labor of this animal, the best results, even
on The light and blowing lands Of the sea
islands. have been obtained; and Of all
the instruments for the exlirpalion oInut-
grass, their snout is the best. The large
return which the potato makes 70 the soil.
by which lis exhaus,ing power is much
reduced. il not entirely overcome, are adj
vantages which few plants enjoy. ln the
reclamation Of land long made sterile by
broom grass, the potato slip crop. easi-
ly planted and attended, will be found an
economical agent. To our southern coun
try. the potato is an invaluable crop, &c.
dc. II may, in fine, be asserted, that
this esculenl will yield more solid nuri-
tlous matter, alike congenial TO the con-
stitnilon Of beast and man, TO the same
space, than any other plant known TO the
cullivator oflhe ground, and al less cost. !"
But enough on this head. will say
something in reference 10 lis value for
stock, and then will leave the plan 10 the
trial of any and all who may see fit. OF
course il cannot be considered food pre-
ferabe TO corn, when the latter is had in
abundance, for il certainly is not so strong
food for animals. which may be working
hard. But then, it is an admirable sub.
are not working your horses hard. Ii is
very fatening, and has fine effect in
Kidding the horse of worms of all kinds.
suppose the worm feeds upon the saccha.
ride matter, and when full. lies dormant: in
which state il is passed OF from the an
imal. The effect can be noticed by any
one, very soon after you commence feed.
ing on potatoes. The mode Of feeding
which ! adopt is this: When Icommence
with potatoes, the horse gets for several
leeds, about dozen small potatoes be.
sides his usual rations of corn. In few
Gov. Seabrook's Essay.