The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1850-05-23
Prom sA< NoyY5steoa Herald and Free Press
lmproyement of Old Grass Fields.


susciiated by the assistance OF the plow q
smeliora,ing manure.
l am, indeed, acquainted with many ag-
ricuIturists who contend iha, this is the
only successful course that can be pursued,
and who would no sooner hazard the ex-
pertinent Of communicating vegetable en-
ergy and productive power to their en-
asculate fields oy surface manuring, or
any other process, not sanctioned by the
dicta Of the old regime farmers. than
they would think Of planting corn on vis-
cid clays. or Of realizing a crop OF that
valuable grain from exhausted loan lands,
which had never been stimulated for the
effort by blowing in manure.
YET such result is certainly not only
feasible. but actually within the range Of
economical accomplishment. N ow, MIR.
Editor. suppose farmer has field, which
although naturally productive, has, by a
long course of injudicous management,
become exhausted. Suppose he is aware
that the meet income Cf this field IS less.
BY one half or perhaps two thirds, than II
ought to be. How. with the best OUTLAW,
and in the shortest possible period, shall
be remedy this evil! AS have suggested
question of practical importance allow
me to PROFOUND practicaolv solution.
We will suppose shat the soil requiring
melioratIon, Is of sIiisious texture. light
and friabIe, and'sucb in lis constitutional
organization as 10 render lndIspenSab Bile
some degree OF consolidation 10 enable 1t.
when ameliorated, 10 exert, TO the utmost
its vegetalive powers. In this Case, the
plow IS clearly the first implenen: TO be
used. Let The owner permit all the vege-
table matter 1t starts. remain till it has at
tanned its maximum development. but
not by any means till it has become fully
ripe, and then let him turn it in with a
regular aud well invented furrow. | he
''roiler" may then be applied to consoli-
date the texture and assist in promoting
the fermentation of the inhumed .vegeta-
BILE fibre, and the surface covered as sh-
erally as the operators means will admit,
with strong and energetic manure. The
harrow must follow, and pass frequently
over the entire surface in different drec
tions till the excumentitiuns matter is we
communicate incorporated thorough hly
with the soil After this let him sow
Eve and twenty bushels of lime and one
OF gypsum Per acre, and as much grass
seed as viii ensure q thick and we'll
70 med sward. Harrow all in, and !evil
with the roll Heavy crops will inevila-
bly, succeed, and in hve OF SIX years the
sward may be again inverted, aud the
field reseeded without any manure, and
so on as long as may be desirable, with
only the use of few bushels OF plaster,
which in all ceses should be annually ap-
piled.
In some localities, where grass is
prime staple, the plowIng Of "bound out. "
or masculaIed sward lands, every fourth
year. and seeding them afresh-alter hav-
ing once well pulverized and embued
them with fertlIizing principles in the
mtnner before given, has been adopted
as common practice, and Is invariably
attended with the best and most fiattering
results. The expense is trivial, COM
pared with the almost immediate and per-
manent advantages which It is SO well
calculated and SO Certain, | may say. to
secure. BJund out lands, which demand
improvement. rarely produce sufficient
fully te defray the cost of>securing them
and the cr"p. This produce is not only
trivial in amount but inferior in quality,
as upon the failure Of the more valuable
glasses, the less desirable varieties creep
IN, and cont Id lily iufringl lng upon the
torn'r soon Oserp0w er, or wholly crowd
the n out.
This crop, which consti tutes an excel
lent and ameliorating manure when
piowed down, and allowed 10 disseminate
It's fructtylng grasses, elm mated by pu
trefactIon and decomposition through the
soil, can in no way be so prohtably ap-
piled. It's action upon the chemical con-
stltuents of the soil Is likewise highly
beneficial; consideration BY no mraus to
be disregarded IN the improvement of
cultivated lands, though it Is rarely at this
day ap preciated as ii deserved 70 be, even
by the best informed.
II has sometimes been said that the
inversion OF the sward is not essentially
necessary in this process; that by scarIfv-
ing the surface by means of large cyl
indrical roller. armed with iron spines,
projecting from every point of its surface
around the entire circu inference, 10 be
passed frequently over the field and
spreading OH stimulating manure at the
itme of sowing The grass seed in the fail
Or even by scaufyIng and manuring
without any seed. the soil may be re-
stored 10 It's normal state Of productive
ness. as successfully and speedily as in
the manner above described. This | re-
gard as an error. By plowing, the far
mer can-lf he exercises proper care and
sitentIon in graduating The depth of his