Houma Ceres. [volume] (Houma, Parish of Terrebonne, La.) 1855-18??, 1855-11-08

growing crops, possessing ali the elements
OF, fertility, and yet being so llamp and cold,
that seed deposited in them either do not
vegetate, or ii they do, pro:!nce sickly or
unproductive crops. How frequently is 1t
the case that the planter is deceived in his
estimate of the yield of field which con-
tans his best land, and ought he thinks, to
make his largest crops? The corn or cot
ton, however, is spotted. in some phases
the growth is lnxurian;; in others, where
the soil is just as good. HE crop looks
small and yellow. Ii is these wet spots
which reduce the average Ct the field, and
di<appoint his estimates; and they will
continue to do so. until the difficulty Is re-
moved by through draining.
TO rec,r to he Illustration with which
we set out: there are great many such
places which this year are producing line
crops, and heretofore HAYS had scarcely
halt a stand upon them. The preceding
dry winter had drained the.s, and thus re-
moved the only obstacle to their productive
ness. We are throwing away great
deal of labor every year. III attempting to
make crops upon such spots. No amount
Of manure, and no anouna OF labor with
the pillow and hoe, no matter how judiciously
expended. can make good crops on such
places. There is too much water in the
soil; and unit! it is relieved of that difficult
,y, it is folly to expend manure or laber
upon them. Examine the roots of the
crop which teehy struggles for an exis-
tence upon those wet places, and the little
fbraus rootlets which sho9t out in every
direction in search of food for the plant,
will be found to have rott@d, and cannot
therefore perform their office.
We cannot, of course, afford such an
expensive system of through darings as is
practised in Europe, AMI some of the
dense!y populated districts Of our own
codntrv. Where land, for instance, is
worth 500 per acre. its twner would be
lust!tiable in going to an expensive in re-
claiming it, that would be. altogether in
admissible in country where land is sold
for SO per acre. 1t would be simply fol-
ly for an agricultural journal to recommend
asystem of thorough drainage to its readers
which would cost more than the land
would be worth after it was reclaimed
while at the same time precisely the same
system may be profitable adopted in DIFF
terent section of the country. We do not,
therefore, recommend thorough drainage,
as that term would be Understood in Eng.
land; for as question Of economy, it
would be folly to undertake it here; but
a. the same time, we dc recommend a
system of drainge, more thorough than we
practice in this country, and we recon-
mend it because we believe that it will
pay we'll, even on our cotton p!antotions
which sell at Sl0per acre. The most
casual observer Of our southern plan,a-
tons, must be forcibly impressed with the
inattention with whichnhis subject is treat
ed, almost everywhere. And We believe,
to-day, that southern agriculture would be
more improved by strict attention to the
wants of the soil in this respect, than by
any other single step in the right direction.
Ifever half acre within our cultivated fields
which is to damp TO pIoeuce good crop
were thoroughly .dried, the increase which
be added to our crop would be astonishing
-[Soil of the South