The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-10-02
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Virginia Farming.

Ho,c 10 Improve Worn. oui MndS.-
The great error committed by most
Virginia farmers, is, il cultivaling TOO
much land in grain, and particularly
corn. sFhe corn crop is cXhausiing.
1t requires much nulrimcnl from the
soil, and frequent stirring Of the earth
with the plow, the hoe, or the cultivator,
which soon cxhauSls the soil, unless il
receives large and frequent supplies Of
manure, to restore what has been ex-
trac,ed from the soil hy the crops taken
from it. It piece Of virgin land lie
cleared and put in corn, and this crop
repeated annually for three or four con.
sccutive years, the vegetable matter in
the soil is exhausted, and the land is
worn down by such an iniudicous
course. This, although improper and
injndicious, is very common practice.
If such land, before plow is put in it.,
could receive dressing Of so or 100
TO 900 bushels Of mari, and nfier crop
Of corn has beeny,nkcn from il. succee.
ded by small grain, and on This crop
clover seed sown and permitted 10 re-
main, on the land two ears ungrazed,
and ihensplowcd down 10 be again crop.
pet by corn or wheat, the land never
sawould, and never could be worn out,
S$Hut would be annually improving.
Such, | am pleased to say, is becoming
tie practice Of our best fa, ,mcrs, who
are already rcaping rich harves,s by
such course Of improvement.
The old threc-iicld system, which has
been so injurious to the farmers Of our
state, is becoming fis, into disrcputc,
and the four and five field systems are
much more generally adopted than for.
merly. The old three. field system was
very ruinous to our lands. The frs,
year, one third Of he arabic land was
put in corn, the mex, year in whent, il
it would produce it. lfloo poor for whca'
il was put in rye or oats. The third
year, this same field was made pas
ture for all the cattle and hogs on the
farm, so that at the end Ct the year,
there would not be II spirc Of grass re
naming on the field. Then i, was
again subjected 10 the same course OF
cropping and grazing, without the appli.
cation Of manure, in many instances.
And those who made great exertions 10
make and apply manure, could not raise
aquantity anything like sufficient to ap-
ply to the large large field Intended for
corn the next year, and consequently
the most Industrious and pc rscvcring
farmer was compelled TO cultivate a
large portion Of his corn crop without
any manure. And even such one
saw, by this system, his land de,eriora
ting, or at best al q stand still.
But am pleased to say better sys.
lem is coming into practice, and our
farms are beginning to show the grca: ad.
vantage oI a different system. Some adopt
.he four-shifl; system one in corn, one in
wheat, oats, or rye, and two in clover.
This is beautiful system, and if prop.
er!y carried into practice. by The aid OF
lime, mari, and manurcs, will, in short
time, make the poorest farms present Il
different aspect. Instead Of the bare
and naked earth, you will have prcsen.
ten to your sight vcrdnnl and luxurianl
fields of clover, wheat, or corn. And
the farmer, instead Of renping scnn,y
and Improbable crops, finds that he has
TO enlarge his granarics and build addi
iinnal corn cribs.
Tho Gvc.icld system is prncilscd by
some farmers. Tla, system taxes the
land more severely than the tour>irid
The custom is TO put two in clover
Thus three fiflhs Of the farm nre ir
grain, and two tiflhs in grass. Where
as, in The fur-fcld, only one half Of 'hc
farm is in grain, and the remaining hal
in grass. Both systems, however, hav,
their advocates.
Another four. shift plan has bee,
adopted by some Of our bcs. farmers
aud successfully pursued, for a long
period, namely, two fields in wheat, ono
f-'l in corn, and only one field in clover
Under this plan, there should be n,
grazing Of the licIds, and it becomes nc