Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1853-01-14
The Farmer.
.e-uensow1n Telegraph.
Prom he ce.u,.nfow1a Telegraph.
Amelioration Of Grass Lands by Top
Dressing,

UIe9S1ng'
Nh. FREAs-Thirty years ago tho prac-
lice, now so prevalent in many sections,
Of renova,ing sward land hy top-ircssing,
was unknown. Even in the older agricul-
tural sections, where the science and art OF
husbandry were somewhat advanced, land
that had become inert and unProductivo
were supposed susceptible of radical and
complete amclioraiion only by plowing and
relaying. At present, however, the fact
IS far otherwise. Those who have sward-
lands which fail to yield good crops, ,endeav-
or their resusci,ation and Improvement by
the adoption of agencies f2f more speedily
efficient and economical. There are many
methods Of top-dressing employed, and a
very great variety Of materials are made
use Of, some Of which, by your permission
will enumera;e and describe.
The FIRST which shall notice, and which
il also tee most ancient, is the practice OF
spreading manure upon the surface, broad
cast, in the spring or fall. For this pur.
nose, the solid cxcremeat of black cattle,
sheep, horses and swine, is used. 1t Is
merely spread, and permitted to remain
uncovered, and freely exposed to the dcte'
riorating action Of tho atmosphere, tlii It's
mowers Of modification are exhausted, and
It becomes perfectly dead and eifetc mass
That manure applied in this way, and does,
10 . certain extent, benefit and improve
the soil, [ by no means am disposed to
deny; but that the practice is an econorl'
ic,l one, is proposition for which few jl-
d;cious and discriminating minds, Will
probably contend |, is practice that
deserves to become obsolete, and, indeed,
already has become SO in every section
where the true interests Of husbandry have
been investigated with csndor, and the
philosophical principles upon which the
art is based, are accurately comprcLended
and understood.
If . farmer has piece Of sward land
which, from long cropping, or other COLA
teral causes, has deprecated so far in the
quantity and quality Of its produce, as not
fully to remuneratc him for the outlay IN
rolvcd in its management, the best method
Of amelioration hs can possibly adopt, ].
the following:
In the spring, as soon as the snow Is oft,
haul on and spread from thirty to forty
double horse loads Of good manure; spread
the same evenly oser the surface, and then
pass over it "sg;kei roller an imrle-
nent Of great utility. which is constructed
m the following way: 4 heavy cylinder,
six feet long, and two and half in diam
eter-madc of single log, is armed with
iron spikes, Of bar iron, one inch square
and eight inches in l,ngth, measuring from
tho surface Of the cylinder. These spikes
aye inserted over the entire circumference
Of the roller, one foot apart each way, in
The same manner as the teeth Of thrash
ing machine, and so firmly as not to be
displaced by any substance or obstacle in
the soil with which they may fortuitously
b brought in collision. The action Of
this implement, when properly constructed
and operated, is to sc.rify and loosen the
old .ward, and in some measure to bury
the dressing, and bring it in contact with
the weakened and emasculated fibrcs OF
the grass roots, tie range of which is gen
erally very near to, or but little below the
surface Of the soil. by passing it two or
three times over the field, the sward will
be torn up, and no small portion Of the
manure brought into immediate contact
With the rootlets, while the scarifca:ion aud
enlightenment of the soil, will afford 4 free
passage for the soluble portions Of the ap-
plica,ion into its intersticcs, thus affording
an immediate advantage to the crop, and
one that will speedily make itself apparent
in the Increased greenncss and lu1uriance
Of the grasses, be their character what 1t
may. Az the "sIikc roller" leaves the
surface rough and uneven, it should al
ways be followed by the common roller,
which will press down the looscned sward
and even for the scyihc. After this, gyP-
sum or wood ashes should be applied or,
if the soil is Of silicious or vitrous tex
,urc, common clay, finely rnl'cr'zed, may
be scwn OF spread with advantage.
In some cases have known grass land,
which had become almost completely bound
out, renovated and restored to It's original
prcductivebess, by a toP-dressing Of c'ay'
If the texture be sandy, with but little
,cgetativc power, the application of this
earth vii always be beneficial. BY filling
the pores aud intersticcs Of the surface,
and thereby arresting, in certain degree,
the economy of transportation, in seasons
Of excessive drought, lis effects are similar
to those produced by irrigation, anl Of
course, Immediately and Iirec''y beneficial