Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1851-06-20
AGRICULTURAL
From the Alabama Planter.
MANURING LANDs-ovER PRO.
DUCTION

OOOAAOH' |
The rapid deterioration and impoverish-
ment of our lands in the South, is a sub
iect of mournful interest to every true
lover Of the country. who looks wisely
into what the results mustbe. Here we
are destroying with fearful Iapidity the
value of one ofthe fairest regions God in
his mercy every bestowed on fallen man
making by our efforts TO amass sudden
wealth, a desert Of what is capable of be-
ing one Of the richest and fairest portions
o the earth. While we are producing
cotton TO glut the markets of the world,
and running down, at each good crop year
the price Of the article to a mere nomi-
nal rate, and asking for room-more room
Ito let our peculiar institutions expand,
we are making ~ country entirely unat-
tractive. Yet it is capable of being one
Of the most pleasant and attractive coun-
tries on the globe. Some have said il is
the natural result of our system of slave
nv. Even Southern men who vociferous-
" talk Of southern rights, southern inter-
ests, and claims, make this declaration.
To such men. il such there be, | must
say that If the assertion be true that such
is the natural, necessary, and inevitable
influence of slavery, the argument is clos
ed; for / hold that a being Of infinite
wisdom never did and never could make
one part of his works the permanent de-
~stroyers Of the other. He could not Gre
/, ate things and pronounce them very good
/ and at the same time incorporate in the
system of government over it that which
must necessarily and constantly mar and
o defsce it. Hence | deem the portion I'm.
v true that slavery has such effects of ne
cessity, or else / must admit tits a wrong
done to the order of nature and 10. the
God of that order.
i But believe slavery is no such wrong
=, and hence assume that the effects we sci
are not the necessary result of slavery
but the consequence of a misdirected ap
Is plieation of labor-a kind of killing til,
$ goose that lays the golden eggs, TO get tn
IN fortune at once. Now, | think it pei
fectly clear ~to-every man, that we, as
e, mass, apply too much labor to the pr
Id duction Of cotton and at the same tim
r- it is apparent that we are so rapidly e1
ng hausting our lands that the power of pre-
/ duction will cease. 1t is equally Gle;
e. 10 in!elIigen! men hat we have reache
is the limits of the good cotton region an
nv that nearly its entire areais now in SON
,ht measure occupied and, farther, man
of well informed men agree that we ha,
ny reached the boundaries Of the range
profitable slave labor. What, then, is
:. be the result il we -wantonly wear o
len and destroy our present rich patrTmon,
Where will we find another when we al
our slaves can no longer subsist on thi
has " hat, then is the reasonable resort '
&c should adopt1 Evidently, to preser
TO and to improve with care what we ha
LOT and render it more attractive and Walt
-eat BILE.
To this end, we should use eve
ned means to enrich it; and, as before obs
we'd. we already apply too much labor
The producing cotton. Let each man put q
out of every ten hands to the const
out : bushes of gathering, making and car
old ing out manure. Let it be no char
affair, but a regular business, with
hands, teams, wagons, carts, tools,
DR.. Haul muck from swamps and streams
hon make compost, leaves and all kinds
il litter from the woods and fields to spr,
h. in lots and stables, and secure well
IN is droppings Of all yards, lots and stable
SUMTER