The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1858-10-14


things counties have increased
from IS to between 80 and 90, and cover
the whole area ofthe State from the Una
ca mountains to the great father oil Hoods
Our population numbers over n million,
three hundred thousand; our prlmeval
forests have been felled by the hand oil
the hardy pioneer, and where but a few
wears ago nothing was heard but the yell
Of the savage, or the howl Of the wild
beasts, have sprung up as if by enehant'
ment, cities, towns and villages filled with
a happy and prosperous people, Our
waters are covered with steamers bearing
the products of our labor 10 the marls OF
the world. The iron horse has forced his
way through the length and breadlhs OF
our noble State, and let me ask what mas
produced this rapid onward march to
wealth and greatness? | would answer
promptly, that we are indebted manly
to Agriculture and Mechanical labor loi
the great results we have Witnessed
They are the levers by which everything
has been moved and advanced.
In reviewing the past history Of ou'
State, it viii be seen that its early settlers
were bold and adventurous men, restless
and unsettled, and ready at a moment 10
advance with the tide Of emigration, con
seouently they cared but little to improve
their farms, but thought il more convent
ent to wear them out and huiit olhers IN
some new country, the result has peen
that the lands Of our State have been
much abused. 1t is our business 10 correct
these abuses and bring our exhausted and
worn out lands back to their original
state of fertility. This can be done ca
silly FIVE will use the necessary eXerl'on'
and it is the duty of every good farmer
tc see that his lands are annually made
better. TO caectuote this OBJ ject he should
call to his aid not only common sense
and practical experience, but also the I'M
proved ~scicnoe Of Chemistry and Geolo'
gy. 1t is a great mistake our farmers
make in cullivating too much ground; II
they would cultivate less and take more
pains with il, their returns would be IN.
fnilely enhanced. As an illustration oil
this fact will you permit me to call your
attention to what has been actually done
in this way. The ~"country gentleman
says:
ain the transactions Of the Hampshire
(Mass.) Agricultural Society, is given the
statement of Mr.. Stebbins oGSouth Deer.
field, on entering his farm for for the pre-
MUM Of the society. The farm in ques.
ton contains Al acres, ten Of II worn out
sandy land, when it came into his poss.
e%ssion, over twenty years ago. But he
"resolved to have a better farm" 10
this sandy field (lhree acres the first Year,
he applied clay at the rate of fifty loads
per acre, followed by twenty five loads
of manure and 2OOlbs Of plaster. This
was all pIowed in together, the land plan
ted to corn, and a fair crop was the result.
Alter corn, and oats were sown, and the
ground seeded to clover, ''by the use Of
clay and manure" he says" 81 have made
all my land as good as the best, and in.
creased my pastures one hundred per
cent, in quantity and quality Of product.
AS to deep blowing, he finds the best way
to employ the subsoil pIow, He turns
under his manure four OF five inches deep,
and then subsoils the bottom of the fur.
row as deeply as possible. Corn is plan.
ted two years in succession, the better to
mix soil and manure and TO fit the land
for grass, and he o sOws barley. m.
| ptnnl ,I natc np n mora rnEtnh n nrnn
The secret Of his success lies in the fact
that instead Of one hundred loads DINA.
nurc as formerly, he now makes three
hundred and fifty loads, supplying his
yards freely with absorbent earlhs, and
using salt, lime and plaster to a consid.
cradle extent. In 1854, the product OF
the Al acre farm in usual farm crops,
was worth q fraction under $500, the
not profits were sl,llG,7 rs. There were
twenty three acres in moving; thirteen
acres ia com and potatoes, three in bar.
ley, and two in wheat. 1t is here seen
that a large farm is not an essential re.
quisitc to profitable management"
Is there any 500 acre farm in our coun.
ty that makes a larger net profit than
this? should judge not. Suppose then
your 500 acre farm was divided into ten
farms each producing as much as the
whole, would it not be evident that the
aggregate wealth Of the county would be
increased ten fold, besides atfording homes
for ten additional families. If you can
not, however, get your consent to reduce
the size of your farms and employ the
capitol in the improvement Cthe remain.
der, will you permit me to urge upon
you the necessity ofimproving your lands
by curtailing the size Of your exhausting
crops, and increasing those that feed the
soil. Sow all your poor and worn utlands
in clover and herds grass, especially your
rolling lands aud such as are being washed
into g%ullies; by this means You will not
only add greatly to the slightly appear.
ance Of your farms, but you will add
much to their utility. PIow deep and
especially subsoil, as the best means of
guarding your crops against droughts, and
rainy seasons, and holding your soil to.
gether; rotate your crops and occasional.
Iy rest your lands. | have no doubt the
year Of Jubilee was established by the
great law giver Of %lsreal, in part, for the
purpose ofrenovating and improving their
exhausted lands.
If these reflections hastily thrown to.
gether in moments snatched from my
professional avocation, shall cause any
of you to grow two blades of grass where
one now grows, | shall feel that | have
done Tor my county, what will more
than compensate me for all my trouble.
In conclusion, permit me, gentlemen,
to congratulate you upon our good fortune
in having the Southern University loca.
ted in our midst. This must necessarily
advance the Agricultural and Mechanical
interests of our county. and bo a nucleus