The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-04-13
From the Cotton Planter and Soil.
FERTILE ALTON BY RoTATIoN-G
AND TREE CROPS.

AND TREE CROPS.
DR. CLoup-Dear Sir :-Agrieulture is the
foundation upon which the richest nations
must rest. rational system of agriculture
cannot be without adopting practical and sci
entifc principles.
The great variety Of soil. climate, and
plants. and the different manner in which
they have to be cultivated. renders it inpos-
sible for series Of fixed rules to be adopted,
which wouid prove practical and beneficial
upon all occasions !; yet when we make close
examination of the principles of agriculture,
we discover they all point to one great object,
viz: TO produce maximum of the different
cultivated plants with the least exhaustion of
the soil.
Experience has demonstrated that even
with the application Of manure, certain va.
riety Of plant, when cultivated for several
successive years upon the same piece Of land,
will gradually decrease in size and quantity.
One great drawback to the agriculturist
in the more southern States has been the
want Of Sufficient variety Of crops, 10 admit
Of practical and beneficial system Of rota-
tion. The poor condition in which we now
see great portion Of the once fertile lands,
is partly owing to the continual cultivation
OF small variety Of plants, and this deteri-
oration Of soil which has greatly weakened
the agricultural resources of the South, will,
unless checked, continue TO diminish our
strength until our institutions will crumble,
and our country become one vast desert.
Ii lis well known fact that after our roll
ing lands have been uAder cultivation ten
years, they are generally termed worn oui,"
while in some parts Of the Old World, land
has been cultivated for thousands OF years,
without any apparent deterioration.
| Admitting that Dne-tenih part Of the lands
/ in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia.
Alabama, Mississippi snd Louisiana, is or has
been under cultivation. at the present rate
| in which we ara exhausting soil, we will IN a
/ few years have no good land To cultivate.
Arc not these gloomy prospects sufficient {"
4 induce the agricultural community 10 make
i an effort 10 check this wholesale detraction
of soil : Can we not look on the catalogue
i &c plants and find one which can be profita
/ bly cultivated upon the worn soils, and at the
same time admit Of the land being reclaimed
to its original fertilityi think We can.
Adm itting that the climate is favorable,
all plants will flourish upon a soil which
Il possesses the conditions favorable to their
Il growth. Some plants appear TO flourish on
certain kind Of soil, which another variety
i refuses TO grow; like animals, the different
kinds require different elements for assimi-
lalion. Again. some plants will either re-
fuse to grow, or al least make butlittle growth
upon soil deficient in the elements Of iertili
ii, while another requiring nearly the same
substances for its development, will grow
lluxuriantly, simply because the organs Of
nutrition IN the latter are 80 differently ar.
ranged as TO admit of its surmOnntlng diff.
culties too great TO be overcome by the frst
plant.
III We cultivate upon worn soil a variety
Of plants winch require for their perfect de.
velopment a large proportion Of the inorganic
constituents, We must supply TO tie soil, and
triihin reach Of the plants, these substances.
otherwise we will fail to realize an abundant
harvest. IL that same variety Of plants pos.
J sessed the power 70 extend ITS ronts over q
large space of earth, would i not grow and
mature in soil which would have proved
! unfit for its cultivation IL its roots extended
only tstc inches from the planti The length
Of the roots are in proportion TO the size Of
the tops. n il requires several years for a
plant 20 mature, and there is an annual in
crease &c top. there will be 4 continual IN.
crease in the length Of the roots. which greatly
assist the plant TO procure the elements es-
sential Tor its formation.
Now in selecting plant which we deem
ss possessing the peeulari;ies necessary to
/ &c commend il as suitable for worn lands, we
must turn our attention 10 trees. and in or
der 10 render their culture rs profitable as
possible We will designate fruit trees.
do not wish to be understood as recon-
! mending pour lands as most suitable Tor
! orchards. I think however il would augment
the interest Of the agricultural community,
and strengthen the common country, i these
poor lands we're reclaimed. and can see no
better mode for bringing them back TO their
!, original fertility than covering them IN or.
chards.
/, The soil in the immediate vicinity Of the
G ttee could be made sufficiently mproycd by
mixing three or four whcelbarow loads ol
leaf mould, well roticd manure, o. some mild
: Iertilizine elements with the soil, at the time
!. The trees are irsnsplantrd, 10 give them a
vigorous start. AZ the first pluwing Of the
sell, either before or after the trsnsplanting
: Of the trees, COW peas or some other falIow
: crop could be served, and when i has attain.
y eli sufficient size, turn II under.
Z This would add fsrtilizing elements to thu
4 soil in sufficient quantities to Keep the trees
10 a healthy and growing condition.
II this process II turning under green crop