Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-05-05
What the Country has lost by i'm
povershing it's Soil.

ldkii3 llit ttllSus VI lCtV us lilt Va
sis of the calculation, and adding no
more than the usual increase, including
emigran,s, the number now employed in
agriculture in the United States DOGS not
vary much from five millions. The
number of acres which they cultivate is
not known. In the State of New York.
there are some twelve million acres of
improved land which includes meadows
and incosed pasture lands. This area
EMPLOYS about five hundred thousand Ia
borers being an average of about TWEEN
ty-four acres to the laborer. At this "a
ito, the number of acres Of improved
land IL the United States is one hundred
and twenty millions. But New ! ork
is an old and more denscly populated
State than an average IN the Union
and probably twenty-five acres per head
is a lusler estimate for the whole country.
AT this rate, the aggregate is one hum
dred and twenty-five millions. OF these
improved lands it is confidently believed
that at least four-fifths are now suffering
deterioration IN greater or less degree.
The fertility of some, particularly in
the planting States, is rapidly passing a
way, in others, the process o { exhaustion
is so slow as hardly to he observed by the
cultivalors themselves TO keep within
the truth, the annual income from the
soil may be said to be diminished ten
cents an acse, on one hundred millions
of acres, or four-hilhs Of the whole.
The loss of income is ten millions of
dollars, and equal to sinking capital of
one hundred and six,y-s millions six
hundred and sixty-six thousand dollars a
year, paying six per cent. annual interest.
That improved farming lands NAV Justly
be regarded as capital and fair invest
ment, when paying six per cent. interest,
no one will deny This deterioration is
not unavoidable, for thousands of skilful
farmers have taken fields poor in point
OF natural productlveness, and instead OF
diminishing their fertility, have added
ten cents an acre TO their annual income
over and above all expenses. II this
wise and improving system of rotation
tIllage and husbandry were universally
adopted or applied TO the hundred mill
ion acres now being exhausted, il would
be equivalent to creating each year al
addnlouai capital of one hundred anC
sixtv-slx millions six hundred and sixty
six thousand dollars, aud placing it IL
permanent real estate, where it woulC
pay six per cent. annual interest. Fo
all practical purposes, the difference he
tween the two systems is three hundred
and ihirty-lhree millions three hundreC
and lhirty-three thousand dollars yea
TO the country.
There is another view of this impor
tant subject which is worthy OF proloun,
consideration. OF the twelve mlliol
acres of improved land in the State G
New York, one million is so cultivated "a
10 become richer and richer every yeal
These improving soils are in the hand
of forty thousand cultvators, who TAX
and read agricultural papers, and nobl
sustain the State and County societies q
that Commonwealth.
Three million acres of the twelv
million are so arranged as 10 barely hol
their own, in point OF fertility. Thes
lands belong To a class of farmers VIII
do as well as they can from person
al observation, by seeing how readin
men improve their estates and domesl
animals.
Eight million acres are in the han,
of three hundred thousand persons, wi
still adhere 10 the colonial practice
extracting from the virgin soil all it "
yield, so long as il will pay expenses
crop ii, and then leave IL IN thin, po
pasture for a term OF years. some
these Impoverished farms, which, seven
five years ago produced from twenty
thirty bushels of wheat on an averag
per acre, now yield only from eight
ten bushels. In an exceedingly inlere'
ing work entitled "American Husban
ry," published m London IN l715, al
written by an American. the folowil
remarks may be found on page 80, vol.
Wheat, IN many parts of the ProvInc
New York, yields larger produce tn,
is common in England. Upon go,
lands about Albany, where the climate
the coolest in the country, they so
two bushels, and better, upon an acr
and harvest from twenty 10 forty Il
latter quantity, however, is not often ba
bot from twenty 10 thirty are common
and with such bad husbandry as wou
not yield the like in England, and nut
less in Scotland"
According 10 the census of 1850, d