The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1855-09-19
From the Plough, Loom and Anvil.
ECONOMIC CULTIVATION.

/
ECONOMIC CULTIVATION.
| We have repeatedly seated ourselves with
The intent OF writing upon the best mode oi
cultiyatlng the various crops, and almost as
often have we actual had our attention turn
ed 10 and written upon some other topic. The
reason is this: No one, except the favored
few who have all the means at command
neediul in carrying out their plans Of farm
operations, can do half as well as they know
how to do. Their land is pour, and they
have not the means Of enriching it. Tell a
man that purse full Of gold is an inch be,
yond his utmost reach, and you do him no
good but to excite feelings Of discomfort and
envy. and even lead him to lorego certain i'm
provenents which are within his reach, because
they pay SO little compared with what he is
really anxious but unable to do. Poverty is
a terrible burden, and nowhere is it felt more
than among intelligent farmers.
Notwithstanding these difficulties, we
would now urge this class Of farmers, first,
to expend their labor and their fertilizers
upon much smaller qantity Of land than is
usually done. Instead Of planting five acres
oil corn. plant two, or even one; aud plow
and cultivate this small field to the entire
neglect, il need be, OF other acres. II those
lie allow il will be useful to the soil, and at
least no money will be wasted upon them.
We say to such farmers, in the second
place, you can donore than you have done in
the preparation OF various composts. There
are very few farmers who can not double and
treble the quantity and value Of these neces-
sary means of restoring yigor to worn. GU t
and barren soils. By diminishing tile extent
Of surface under cultivation, and by proper
industry IN preparing composts, there is
scarcely farm in the country that cannot
be made to produce its sixty, and seventy,
and eighty bushels Of corn to the acre. And
a.en though nne acre only is brought uD 70
this desirable condition, series Of years VIII
suffice TO bring lie whole farm to high state
Of cultivation. II only small fields are made
thus productive, the hopes and courage Of the
farmer will be thereby excited, and he will
stand up manfally among men, and tell Of
his success as well as they.
We would not advise farmers Of limited
means to buy guano nor phosphates at any
thing like their present prices. Pay your
poorer ncighbor his six or eight shilling a
day &c you canno, exchange work with hm)
10 help you collect leaves from the forest,
mud from the meadow, carting the latter on
y atten il is tolerabIy dry. peat or mari from
the bog; aud If you can buy barn-yard ma
nures, mix them with turls, sods, roots, weeds,
dirty straw, spnilt hay, chips that are unit 10
burn; aud IL YOU are conveniently situated Tor
il, get sea-weed from the shore, oyster shells,
old bones, horns, etc, etc. Dead snimal.
are of great value. Tie oha from slaagh-
ter-housc, worthless scraps Of hides, bpnes
ETC., etc., should be uscd only with large
quantities of common soil or 81 some other
solvent. Not one in hundred turns TO the
best account the c0ntents OF prlries, hog
pens, soap-suds. and other kinds Of waste.
Pardon Us for asking why will you taS
: yourselves 50 severely by ncgleeting any oI
these modes Of improving your lands: Il
, may be only such neglect that keeps you IN
] poverty and tiuugh you enter upon the work
with many painful doubts 10 relation e tbs
result, We Will assure YOU against loss iron
any such operations, il conducted with tUle
: rable discretion.
Now is the time 10 commence this system
uf operation for the next year. On every
leisure day, LEI the time be occupied IL
these preparatory labors. Every hour thu
spent is worth something. and will tend L
fill YOUR purse at the time Of harvest.
Almost all farmers sadly neglect theii
: barn-yart manurcs. Were these properl,
cared for, their value, as whOle, would b,
} more than double.
Having thus suggested tie means by Mhicl
manures may be provided, the next inqui
! ry is, how aud where shall they be used
]. Perhaps we are unable to give the infurma
}. ton that many would desire, for reason
e suggested m the last number. Perhaps yO
y have an enclosure that for many years pro
! duccd very large crops, and you just look
n ed on and watched your opportunity to tax
e from il the most you could get, returning No
. thing 10 it. II may be that il is 50 situate
y that Il is almost able TO take care oi itsel
J. !. like much of the interval on the Connecticut
!. which is annually enriched by being over
!, flowed. lfthis is so, VIC should labor to has
a. en- this process Of improvement, and shoul
y DO all in our power to get this soil back mi
The condition Uf fertile field. When th
is accomplished, take the next promising 10
leaving the moro desperate cases 70 The las
When you pillow your clayey grounds, lill i
= without stint, a sandy cOmpUst. II the iield
: sandy, plow in clay compost. This nee
mol be costly job. but generally y practical
Ut for the poorest farmer. IL you have boge
ed meadow, thorough ditching will be a pa
% OF the process necessary in reclaiming
=. while the material thus thrown out Is exac
~ " what sulne other soil most needs. Cou
:. rsnsations arc not found only 10 the stfu