The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-08-01
Agricultural Improvements.

While out in this county at the iax-gaiherings, we
were gratificd TO hear from few Of our farming
friends accounts Of their successful experiments in i'm
proving the fertility Of their land j Is certainly en-
couraging that spirit Of improvement Is abroad
and though but few, comparatively have made much
progress in the matter, earnest inquiry is awakened,
and the importance Of improvement is generally ict
we may therefore hope that the successful practice OF
the few will soon set the many to work in the right
direction. The important question with farmers now
is how can the producseness Of our lands he ncreas'
ed with the least expense As aiding in the answer
to this question, will give briefly the experience
Of two farmers Of this county, as related TO Us, IN the
use of Pea Vines as fertilizer.
A farmer living in the eastern part Of the county,
told us thai he placed more reliance on the pea vine
than on guano. having tried both. The pea vine he
regarded as certain profits while il the guano failed
from any cause he considered il dead loss Of no in.
considerable amount at present prices. He stated that
he had just gathered crop Of wheat from lot Of eight
acres, upon which the previous year he had raised
crop Of peas leaving the vines to be poushed in. The
wheat he pronounced the finest he ever saw. He had
not measured it, but stated that he hauled from the
field ten four.ho.e wagon loads, each Of which he
confident would yield from eighteen TO twenty bushels
OF wheat. Take the lowest estimate, and il givrd
yield Of twenty-five and hall bushels 70 the acre
How many fields upon which guano was used will
beat that the past season
/ The other experiment was related to us by an in.
teigent farmer living in the neighborhoOd Of Chapel
Hill. The experiment was tried on poor piece oil
/ land, upon which year or ago he attempted 70
raise crop Of wheat. but entirely failed. He did no,
attempt to cut it, Aner pastutins il awhile, he
ploughed in the remaining straw and followed il with
peas sowed broadcast. A, The proper time last fall
the vines were pIoughcd under, the soil being broken
ss deep as possible. aud crop Of wheat put IN Tho
yield Of wheat on this field was better than any
other on his plantation. and proved the beneficial e.
ects Of the system adopted entirely 20 his satisfaction
We regard these experiments as important, no, q
furnishing any new truth. but Attending gratifying
evidence that at leds, Of farmers are begin
ming 10 leave the old paths BY which her lands have
been exhausted, and adopting plans BY which
their fertility may he restored and their produciyenes
greatly increased. One god example in neighbof
hood by il success will soon induce others 70 follow
il. We have seen this happily eIemPl6ed in this
county. In = neshborhoad in which were many waste
old fields few years back. We now sec, upon thes'
same old i-lds, the most furnishing wheat crops; and
We do not think 90 far in saying that this Na
brought about BY one intelligent in ,hr neishbr
hood. who set The example d producing good whea
crops upon them What he did, others could do,
his ucighhors argued, and wen, % work accordingly
and now perhaps. may No considered the bc. wheat
growing neighbprllood IN the COUNT.