Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1850-07-19
Agricultural
From the Granite Farmer.
Soils.


general deficiencies. These are both mechanical and
Chemical They are totally destitute OF that COM
uaetness and adhesveness essential hrmy TO secure
the roots of plants and incapable from the want OF
intimate contact of conveying to them the liquid nu
triment necessary to their growth They are leachy
allowing the rains that fall upon them to eVaporate
sDeedily or sink far beneath the surface beyond the
reach Of the thirsty roots. They are equally waste
fnl of manures added to them yielding their rich
oasses at the first demand that is made whether it
he from the dissolving rains the exhausting heat
and this renders it necessary when cultivated In any
crops excepting grass that the manure should be APP
Piled only just before putting in the seed.
+" They possess white, glazed surface, which is
unfayorable to absorbing the heat from the SUMS
rays and conveying the desired warmth to stimulate
the absorbent vessels beneath the surface and equal
" incapable of rapid evaporation of heat when the
influence of the is withdrawn, thereby failing to
condense copious dew
Sandy soils are generally deficient in some of the
ingredients necessary to the perfection of many forms
of vegetable life. 1t will be borne in mind that sand
contains, its principal element silica. Quartz,
the dsintegraton of which sand is mostly found
tains from 80 to IS per cent of silica. To render
sandy soils chemically able to produce crops, the
rious lacking elements must be added.
The natural corrective of sandy soil in both its
chemical and mechanical relations clay, is generally
found in the neighborhood Of sands most likely I'M
ON land at rate that the gain VIII repay the
outlay clay undoubtedly the very best application
that can be made. Lime, gypsum, ashes, salt char
coal, bones, muck, marl sc. &C., are valuable ap-
piled to sandy soils For further particulars on this
point the reader is referred to article rewritten
for this journal on the Management OF Sandy
Loans" We wish to leave room for liberal extract
from a valuable article in the June number of the
Albany Cultiyator We have many acres of nearly
worthless sandy land that might be redeemed in the
manner suggested below with profit to the of
the land.
Several trials have been made in cultivating the
du nj ich dos Mr.
J. Med Mcintyre is the owner of 900 of this
land, eight miles from Albany, which came into his
possession about ten years since at $40 an acre. 1t
was then mostly covered with pitch pines, generally
of small size, the whole growth not amounting to
over twelve fifteen cords of wood to the acre. In
some places, the growth was only small bushes, and
scattering shrub-oaks. Mr.. Mel. began farming on
this land experiment, determined to proceed
cautiously and on comparatively small scale, till
the profit or loss should indicate the proper
The first results having been favorable, he has late
ly extended his operations has now cleared In one
body 90 acres, to which he is making yearly addi-
tons AID intends to go on in this way until lie has
made farm of 500 acres.
His course of procedure in regard to this land,
has latterly been to plough it as the wood
and bushes are of, and plant potatoes. The yield
has never been less than 100 bushels to the acre
Last year seven acres yielded in the aggregate 900
bushels No manure is applied to this crop The
potatoes have been sold at from so to 62k cents per
bushel The crop has generally more than paid all
expenditures the land including clearing cultiva
ton &C. The second the land is sown to oats
and clover to which is added, on the moist por
tons, timothy and red-top. The first crop of oats
usually averages 40 bushels per acre. The clover is
either moved or pastured with sheep-sometimes
moved the first year and pastured the second 1t is
then usually poughed again, Is loads 60 bushels to
the oadl of rotted applied to the acre, and
planted to corn potatoes turneps. The best por-
ons are taken for corn and the average Weld of this
grain has been 40 As bushels per acre and in most
Instances Sc bushels per acre were obtained. The
yield of turner's has been from 400 to $50 bushels
ner acre last wear, notwithsandin g the prolonged
DROUGHT, seven acres gave $500 busbels The land
is then laid down with oats clover, and grass seeds
The second course Of crops-that is after the land
has been once in clover usually better than the
first. Ten acres of oats in one instance gave 610
bushels-or 81 bushels per acre. The weight per
bushel last year, when oats were generally light was
IS lbs The crop of clover has been from to two
tons per acre-the best portions yielding at the sec
ond course, fully two TONS
Sheep (South downs are the principal stock kept
the farm There were last year 100 head of sheep
two oxen two cows and three horses This stock did
not consume all the hay, ten OR twelve tons being
carried off the farm The turneps are fed, in guam
titles according to the condition and circumstances
of the sheep-ewes with lamb, and such suck1e,
receiving the greatest allowance. Clover hay, pass
ed through cutting machine, is their dry food in
winter.
"Ths farm is generally rather level; but there
ell part is not subject to become very dry except at
the surface kthe nolls lighter, and in some in
stances the soil is liable to be moved by winds At
ter they have once been set in clover and pastured
with sheen they remain stationary. Where clear
ings have already been made, the ightest knobs,
where the soil would be most likely to be blown, have
been left in trees and the underbrush being removed,
these little groves covering the principal eminences,
gives the fields picturesque and parklike appear
ance
i An experiment was tried in feeding off turnips
with sheep in the fall, on two of some of the
highest of his land The sheep were put on in No
yember and when they had cleared off the CROP the
ground was ploughed The next spring, it was sown
in barley, and the yield was AZ bushels per
the turnips and what was left by the sheep while
feeding them off. The soil was much compacted by
the tread of the sheep and enriched by the manure
and urine-the benefit of course being in all the
succeeding crops. The soil became we'll swarded
with clover and grass and still retains its tenacty
I" Mr. Mel. considers clover, turnips, and sheep
the chief Instruments Of Improvement for this land
larger crops and supports stock per under
his system The farm has derived little benefit from
foreign manures. The application of manures pur-
chased in the city was tried but with the cost
of transportation, was found to be too expensive
Care has been taken, however, to every thing
which could be converted into manure the farm.
"One considerable advantage of this soil is, that
when the crops fairly started, they compare
lively sure, whatever may be the season as to wet
ness or dryness. They not likely to suffer seri
Z ously either from excess deficiency of moisture
The large average product of Mr. McI.'s farm, il
owing in a great degree to this fact So constant
has been the growth of heritage this farm through
the season. that even in our extreme droughts, the
pastures have supported from four to six sheep pei