The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-06-05
xaA9Ud0ODOGOEa@Oo
Improvement of Worn Out
lands by the uasc OF Ise;as
sasaSH 3GyOver

AMlprOvcNMCmt Oh WORN OIlt
Lands by the 1qsc OF Rseias
saat1 Glover.
ny II. X. BuRGwYNN, ESQ, OF JACKSON ,
SOUTHAMPTON COUNTY, ". C.
Having heard, from various reliable
sources, of the great success OF Mr..
Burgwynn in renovating worn-out lands
in North Carolina, we were particular
ly anxious TO obtain, from his own pen,
an account Of his practice in this i'm.
portant matter, for the Agricultural part
ofthe Patent Office Report. At our
request, Mr.. B. sent the following able
and instructive essay, which we take
the liberty 10 publish in the CuAiuaior
simultaneously with its going through
tho press at Washington Southern
Cnltirator.
There are large bodies ofland lying
in Eastern and Middle Virginia and
North Carolina, which have been so
much reduced by continued cropping,
planting tobacco, Cotton, and sowing
oats, as no longer to pay the COS, OF
cultivation, and are "turncd out us
swasteFlands." These really still pos.
sess good share Of fertility, and. by u
very moderate expenditur of labor, and
attention to common sense principles Of
agriculture. may be reclaimed and have
heirproductivencss increased from 100
to 150 per cent. They can be mndc
truly valuable; and do not hesitate to
say, as the result Of my experience,
that they will give greater profit in
stss!se course ef6vc years cultivation than
Ian be derived from clearing any ex,
ccpt our rich river lands
This is the method have adopted,
and by which have increased the pro
duct of such lands from l IL or , bar.
rels of corn to a barrels per acre; and
from 4 or bushels Of wheat 10 10 and
- bushels per acre. The increase in
wheat is s'proportonably greater than
that in corn. My system OF Gu ,urc is
substantially as follows:
If the "broom straw. which these
waste lands always grow up, retains
any sap, by which, when turned under
fermentation will ensue; aud cause the
straw TO rot, lei the land, us il is, be
.plowed with the largest size plow drawn
by three or four horses, running as deep,
~ as possble-say, not less than ten
inches--and turning every thing under
if,he straw has no sap, it will not ro1
in ayear; and, in that case, burn it Off,
and pillow as before. lfpossble, follow
each piow with q subsoil plow, and &c
6 or 8 inches deeper. This will make
the s,ffclay, which almos. everywhere
undcrlies our land, more open 10 the
genial influences Of the sun and air, and
enable it TO get rid Of the surplus wator
winter, and Of heavy rains in other
periods of the year.
About the middle ofJune, following
when the weeds n. 1bout half grown,
before they have formed their seeds,
SOW the land broadcas, ut the rate Of o
bushel per acre, with any of the numer-
GUS varieties of peas common amcng
us, except the "blockcycd." which
having very little vine, affords little
shade. In all cases, prefer those
which have the most vine, and ripcr
earliest. When the land has much oi
weeds or grass upon it, turn under the
peas with any kind Of plow, running
not over three inches deep. II tic
land is bare of weads. prefer covering
the pens with large, heavy harrow,
runniDgit both ways first lcngthwisc
and then across the beds. AS il is i'm
porinnt TO give the peas start over the
weeds and grass, soak them six hours
IN water, and rub thcm-hin plaster o
Paris; and, when they begin to leaf ou
md lranch, say, when ID inches high
SOW plaster ut the rate Of a bushc
per acre. This stimulates their growth
anJ they oyerPower The weeds ant
grass.
Wien abou, half '!iepcas arc ripe.
no, "hhlf riro"--hegs should be
turned in to iramplc and GU, upl the vino,