The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-04-18
From the Farm Journal.
SHADING POOR LAND.
By J. S. noUonToN, M. D.

/ i
lam not one of those whobelieye that
mere shade is, in itself, equivalent to ma
nure, or that shade really creates any
materials OF value in the soil SO shaded.
But ! believe that it is highly important
to keep all iand, and especially that
which islight and porous, and compare
lively poor, well shaded during the hot
season, in order to prevent the too free
evaporation Of the gaseous elements Of
plants from the soil.
Under good management, and cspe-
cially where land is well manured, no
fields should be permitted to lie idle,
broken into ridges, and uncovered by
the foliage of growing plants, making
some kind Of crop. The loss caused
BY neglect Of this rule, both by want Of
shade, and by the exhausting influence
Of weeds, is greater than the profit to
be derived from any single crop that
can be grown.
am induced to write this article for
thepurpose Of bringing TO the attention Of
f, farmers two occasions on which the best
farmers in Virginia resort to shading
the land as means OF protecting the
soil from exhaustion, and two means by
which they do it, which appear to me
to be worthy of extended imitation eve-
rywhere. We are in the habit Of sup
posing that the farmers Of Virginia are
behind the age, in improvements and
methods Of cultivation; and so they are,
many Of them, just as many Of our far.
mers are IN Pennsylvania but in the
art Of rcnorating exhausted soils, am
of the opinion that there is as much
skill exhibited by few planters in Vir-
ginia, as there is in any part Of the
United States.
The two plans for shading light soils
IN summer, above alluded to, are as
follows:
The first is top-dressing clover inn
mediately after moving, the same day
or the next morning. with a view to
shade the plants and the soil. To ef-
icct this object long manure is employ
ed, leaf mould, dried peat, muck. foam,
or any other carbonaceous matter; or
il these materials be not abundant on
the farm. then light drilling Of plas.
ter of Paris and salt is employed, say
one or two bushels Of plaster, and a
bushel or less oi salt, to each acre.
The heavier the dressing is on light
soils, Of course The better; but even
the slight cOat Of plaster and salt is
said to be highly beneficial, shading
the naked plants, TO some extent, and
keeping the land moist, and prevent
} ing the TOO rapid evaporation Of yalua-
Bile gases. One Of the best farmers in
Virginia, from whom ! obtained this
hint, is celebrated for his success in
improving soils, and attributes much
Of his success to top,dressing clover
with plaster, or plaster aud salt, coarse
manure, &C., as above described, i'm
mediately after moving in hot weather,
| | think the suggestion very valuable
one, and strongly advise the trial q i
by farmers generally, when the soil j,
not well covered with clover.
Another method of shading the soil
much practiscd in Virginia, Is the SOW
. ing Of the field pea Immediately after
! wheat, or any other crop, is removed
when the land is not TO be used direct
ly for any other seed Or vegetable crop
!. A fair growth Uf vines may no doub
: be obtained even as Ear north as Penn
sylyania, before cold weather, TO b.
turned under as fertilizer; and as III,
pea grows very quickly, il will scol
shade the ground, especially IL sow
broadcast. The merits Of the field pc
Ior this purpose. and as food for stuck
: / have discussed at length in other AZ
ticles in the Farm Journal. II il
Iound that the pea will not make sui
ficient growth 70 pay for the cxpens
= Uf sowing IL, after wheat or oats, (whic
Y !, | do not anticipated then The iarme
Z may Try corn fodder, tcorn sowcd thics
i N IL drills or broadcast,) or corn an
i. buckwheat, or buckwheat alone, TO !
70 used as a green manuring crop. III
!. !, seed Of either of these plants woul
" eost him bot little, and Tie benefits
m be derived from the shade afforded .
ns the peas, corn aud bnckwheat, with Il
. additions which they would make
% the soil, !, and the absence Of weeds, woul
. afford good profit on the expense an
~ labor.
ii In some Of the Northern States il
the custom among the best farmers
: top dress timuthy fields with manu-