Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-05-12

quently make extracts from them, IN the
hope that something may he elected OF lm-
p9rtance TO our readers. We copy the FOL
lowing from the proceedings Of their last
meetiDg:-
WORN OUT SoILS.-A member said The
Southern planters, particularly OF cotton and
tobacco, are the greatest destroyers ot one
of earth's best gifts 10 man, the power OF re-
production and tentold multiplication OF all
food. producing seeds that man may plant
T0ey have rendered millions vt acres, once
fertile, So utterly unproductive that thoy
have been abandoned as worthless and Tor
saken by the owners, and afterwards, IN
changing owneIs. have been counted at
mere nominal value W!thin ten years, the
lands of some Of the old Virginia planta-
tons, within two days easy water carriage
of New York, have been, as It were, heggug
purchasers like hawxer's wares, at one u
four dollars an acre; lands, too, that were
once considered garden-spots Of America,
the surroundings OF palatal residences OF
prIncely owners. Rich acres OF light sandy
loan, worn down ~ such utter barreDnesS
that whole acre, aye, a whole field, would
not produce as an Old negro truly said u me
oDce, poverty grass enough to make dis
cnile's ole hen u nest" Yet that very field,
so utterly barren, 50 cropped when newly
cleared of its oak forest with tobacco, tlat Ii
would no longer pay for croppiOg; then
planted with Iudian corn till ludldu corn
would not produce enough to pay the labor;
then sOwed with rye until Its largest crop OF
three bushels an acre often failed; aud then
given up to grow old field piues and poverty
grass, the last effort VI exhausted fertility to
produce vegetatIun-yet such lands as these
have been reclaimed. Ii was upon Just such
a field as this that the old negro stretched
his hand over when he illustrated its former
barrenness by the lacE that lie had tried in
vain to gather grass enough to make hens
nest.
Nov look at him. !" said he, proudly.
See de clover aud de wheat. Seventeen
bu.hel to de acre, first time trying; and de
cIuver--ah, you see him. An't he big!
But aid tink my Hassa done gone crazy,
sure, when be tell dis nigga dat he gon'
SOW wheat on dat field. | never spec to see
de end again 10 dis world"
FaIthless at the first, the old fellow was
now exultantly jublant to see the waving
crop upon this abandoned old ield--tJ see
lis remembered fertility, almost q hundred
years before, again restored.
This pleasant scene was at the home Of
the Hon. Wiiloughby Newton, Westmort-
land County, Virginia, one Of the pioneers
in the renovation Ut WORKOUT lands. Now,
what Wil!oughby Newton ADD his comPeers
have done there, may be done here, and
there ygain, and everywhere where old tiell,
abound that have been exhausted OF their
prrductiVeness.
There has been no miracle wrought; 10
magic wand waved over the land; 10 costly
application; and there IS no mystery 10 tue
process; it Is simply thls: Sow 200 pounds
of guauo per acre, lightly pl1wed IN, or well
narrowed 10 with tue seed, one bushel OF
wheat and six to eight quarts Of cIOVerseei
Ter acre Thresh the wheat and return the
straw to the soil, evenly spread on the sur
face, and let the claycr grow unul ripe the
second year and then turn 1t under, having
dre,S.d it in the Spring with q bushel ui
plaster per acre, aud in the Fall win thirty
to fifty bushels per acre with powdered lime.
This IS q sure and cheap mode OF restoring
old barren fields to fertility.
Other lands equally barren have been
made prottably productive by the use OF
green sand marl, and 10 both cases without
COST because every year the Increased crops
have paid the expense; and | DOW contend
that all the worn out fields of all the old
States-and their number is legiou--may be
all renovated and made productive ut only
the cost Of interest OF money upon the H.
vestment 10 fertilizers. n matter what the
fertilizer may be, whether lime, piTs er, ashes,
potash, guaoo, mari, phosphs,es, muck or
animal manuIes, 50 that the first Application
be used mainly for the purpose OF growing
a mauurial crop on the land something ~
be buried in the soil--somcthing that will
make it rich in a cheaper manner than can
he possibly done with any substance that Is
to be brought upon the land either by an ex-
pense of money or labor.
We are apt to look upon the whole system
of Southern agriculture, here AT the NORTH
rs very much behind our own. But let me
tell You that there are very many Southern
plantes from whom very many Northern
farmers might learn some very profitable
lessons. The system of renUyating Wort out
lands, as described, and the system Of rUtG-
tiou practiccd by some corn and wheat grow
ers, where grass, hay and cattle were sec'n-
Diary objects, might be studied 10 advantage ~
sone OF us who are wise 10 our own opinion.
We might learn some lessons too IN
swamp draining since one Of the mott ex-
teusige drainers that | know Of in the United
States is to be found 10 South Carolina.
There is another subject Of vital impor-
lance to all cuItivators OF hilly lands, ard it
is one that this Club might discuss adsaf
tageUusly, upon which we can learn some
valuable lessons from cotton planters IN
G3orgis, Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi,
in each Of which States | have seen large
plantations. located upon extremely uneven
surfaces, where every tuFrow was plOwed
level, aud every rows planted level, no matter
where 1t begun aud ended, 50 that the ends
were on the same Level, or how far the ends
might be apart BY this plan the absurd
folly of planning up and down the hill side
is got rid Of, and tue washing away OF tie
soil prevented This would he an important
adjunct to any plan adopted TO renovste
some WORKOUT fields once fertile, and now
worthless upon our hill sides.
Prof. NAsH--Ine process Of side-hill ditch |
ing is borrowed ir, N the BelgIaus, aid Is
one Of great Importance upon all lgnt soils, |
hut III New England there are millions OF !
acres OF land valuable for grass that are |
worthless tor the plgw, owing 10 the humber |
of stones. The exceieut remarks read are /
only applicable to ara lie lands. Now much |
Of this New England pasture land is run