Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1859-12-02


destroy. Large portions Of New Jersey, |
for example, which were formerly barren
and apparently untilable, have been re-
duced to cultivation, and are now yielding
the most remunerating returns to agricul- |
tural labor. The marls of New jersey
alone have added millions to the income
of her people. while the value OF the per-
manent body TINS given to their hands
cannon be estimated in dollars and cents.
We have in abundance, along the Cape
Fear, the Neuse, and throughout our cas-
tern plains, the same fertilizer, III as great
variety as in any State, aud quite equal to
any in richness and fitness for the soil. If
had time [ could lay before you numer-
to lands in this State It is true, it requires
labor and expense to get It ont and apply
Il; but where it is in the neighborhood OF
the farmer, there can be no doubt that 1t
will amply repay the labor, expense and
care bestowed upon it.
But it by no means follows, because ag-
rlcllltnre is a science or art, that, for prac-
teal purposes, it is difficult or ab5tr1se.
In the early ages Of the world, when the
leading orders were devoted to the chase
or to war, and when the wants Of mankind
were few, agriculture was neglected, inso-
much that any prominent or learned citi-
zen or sub ject who turned his attention to
it, became at once, from the novelty and
singularity OF his taste, noted, and after
wards an historical character. Cato and
| Cincinnatus were really very Indifferent
| farmers, compared with those of the pres
ent age. If they cultivated the earth at
all, it was upon small scale. The f;,cili-
ties for successful farming in Egypt, Greece
and Rome proper, were not, altogether,
| to 1n II
ern Improvement in the science. The
ploagh, by horse and by steam-the reap
ing, the threshing, and the moving ma
chlne-the cotton-gln, separating the seed
from the fibre with the rap:dity Of light
ming and the delicacy of the human touch
the fouring-mi1, receiving the rough
grain and bolting it out In snow white
flour, worthy to have graced in its wheat
en- excellence, the tables Of all the Phara-
obs or of Solomon himself-the corn plan
ter, dropping the seeds with the mathelnat-
ical precision-the various contrivances
for draining, breaking, slicing, and pull
verizing the soil, and the chemical knowl-
edge which separates. solves, and deter
mines the nature of soils,-these improve
ments were unknown even to modern Eu-
rope, and are characteristic only Of this
the most advanced and most prosperous
condition of mankind The plough is a
great civilizer. Without it the axe would
be welded in vain. Cultivation means
the plow; and the plow always does, or
always should imply cultivation. But soil
must be had or made, before it can be cul-
tivated. If it be already good, care must
be taken to preserve and improve it
This can be done, first, by hillside ditching
and horizontal ploughing, to prevent wash
ing, for the loss is often greater from wash
ing than from the absorption OF plants
secondLy by ditching and draining where
there is too much water; and thirdly, by
proper rotation of crops, by following,
and by fertilizers, not thonghtlessly appll-
ed but such as are needed. Stable ma
nure contains in abundance nearly every
element requisite for grain or other crops,
and is, with wood ashes, the best fertilizer.
But as these are not to be had in sufficient
quantities, we must look for substitutes
Guano, which contains large amount OF
phos ohorc acid, ammonia and line--of all
which enter in greater or less proportions
into wheat, corn, tobacco, and cotton-has
been much used recently. [ know the
opinion is entertained by some that it only
stimulates, and really inpovershes the
soil but this opinion is not sustained by
the best farmers who have used it. 1t is
true, if we depend on guano alone, and
cultivate the land year after year for the
same crop, It will be exhausted, and the
same result would follow any other fertli-
ger. We must not expect too much from
E any one fertilizer, tor it can only besfow
the peculiar properties it possesses. When
these are exhausted Of course the fertilizer
tails; but a rotation or change of crops
with now and then green crop turned in.
will not only restore but improve the fer
tlity. Those crops, says Dr., Emmons
selected for enriching the soil, should be
such as grow vigorously and send theil
roots deep to bring the fertilzing matter
to the surface. That learned gentleman
mentions clover and peas particularly, as
best calculated 70 preserve or restore fer
tility; and though he says sit is not per-
haps possible to estimate the real value o1
a clover crop as a fertilizer" yet, on ac-
count Ct the heat of the suns and sands OF
this latitude, especially south of Raleigh,
he inclines TO think that the pea, from its
composition and adaptation to climate, is
the best crop to precede wheat and to act
as general fertilizer. The pea, he adds,
after careful analysis of both plants, "is
considerably richer in the expensive ele-
ments of nutrition" than clover, and will
no doubt sstake the place of red clover, in
this State" s.Experience,' he continues,
sshas already proved its superiority. 1t
1is easily cultivated, and is not liable to so
many accidents. It takes deep root,
spreads widely, and is rich in valuable fer
fiHzers.u