Semi-weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1852-1853, 1853-06-22
SALISBURY, May 81, 1853.

SALISBURY, May II, 1898.
To HIS ExcELLENcY, DAVID 5. REID:
SIR: l am often surprised at the amount of ex-
cellent land which meet with every day. The cot
! ton lands confined to Edgecombe, Wayne, or
exclusively to the part of The State the vaies
OF the Yadkin and Catawb a equally good Tor COT
ton-equaly fertile and productive in all the great
staples of this latitude From the Jersey Settlement
TO Salisbury from Salisbury Charlotte, and then
south to the State line, excellent and productive lands
are of sight for any length of time. With
attention and cultivation, but little beyond the ordI-
nary routine, large tracts may be made 10 produce
continuously 1900 lbs. of seed cotton to The acre.
This is the product of the plantation of Mr.. ID. b.
PEBBLES, of Providence Distct,in Mecklenburg coun-
ty. The expense of cultivation to produce this re-
suit is by no means great; ia this yield OF seed COT
ton there is 600 lbs. of lint. This result appears
stlll more remarkable when it is known that there
are natural fertilizers; marks of lime; and also
that these lands belong TO the oldest cultivated lands
of the State. Indeed, one is almost inclined to tall
into the common opinion that they will never wear
out. This idea, however, is deusive. When we
find such results may be OF tanned with ordinary skill
In cultivation, with ordinary tlage, we are led to
surmse what might not be effected by additional at
tentIon and skill, combined with free use OF such
fertilizers the successive crops require. These
lands distinguished from others by their dark
brown color-they are called mulato lands. have
spoken of their adaptation to cotton. Now, 1t would
not be right to regard them as adapted only to this
CROP for if there soils which universal In their
adaptation, these dark red soils of CabarIus Meck
Ienburg, and Rowan of this description 1t is
which bear the color have spoken of. The Provl-
Gence soils looser than those of some other tracts,
for the latter sitter and liable to bake under
the sun than the former. 1t is not, however, TO BIS
concealed that these red soils impatient under
droughts. The crops liable fail when the rains
fai-in this respect they rank below the candy soils
of Union. The latter based upon and derived
IRON the States while the former are based upon and
derived from certain varieties of granite. This gran
lie contains large amount of iron in the slate of
ProtoxIde, which on exposure to the air becomes
peroxide, which has the red color of the soil. The
iron, however. may be in combination with sui Phur,
which In decomPosing passes into state of peroxi
daton. This latter condition of the iron appears
from the color of the soil, where the roots OF the
oak found, and especially, when they are wound
ed. In this case, the gallo acid exudng from the
wounded roots finds in The soil suphaIe of iron. Ink
WILL therefore, be formed by this combination and the
purple black streaks which often appear in the rail-
road cuts are due to the formation of ink Ink soils
require for correction lime, inasmuch, any
siderable quantity of this astringent salt of iroD is
poisonous vegetation; yet this salt (sulphae of
irony is useful small quantities in the SOIL ltseems
TO act upon vegetables it acts upon animals, viz
as a tonic. These astrngent soils very common
throughout the State. They are in this condition
from the great abundance Of the proto-su phuret of
iron which is disseminated through the rocks from
which the soils derived.
Wake County is remarkable for astringen: soils.
In the dry parts of the season the efloescence of
this salt is a common occurrence and any may
satisfy himself of the fact by tasting the soil have
-
This substance, however, is not only corrective,
but it becomes, under these circumstances, active
fertilizer. Gypsum is the product tolmed by this
application. In this connection may be allowed to
say that the important results of the internal
improvement system, will reach the Planter Il must
give him the feTtizers-it will also open the door to
the market which has, up to the present hour, been
closed upon him. The time is not far distant when
North Carolina will become of the great pro-
ducng States, and the taunt which has often been
thrown into her teeth alas for poor North Carolina,
she has nothing to SELL" will pass away. 1t lisa re-
markable fact that the mining lands of this State are
usually productive and valuable for plantations
the lands of other States She has, therefore, double
source of wealth, extending large tracts of coun-
try. In other countries mining lands are mostly poor
and unproductiVe under the best ystems of illage.
have collected many samples of the soils peculiar TO
this part of the State and EbeIieve that the agrcul
ure is equally Interesting with that of the eastern
part of the Commonwealth.
remain, most respect'Iy, Your Excsllency's
Obedient servant,
E, EMMONS.